Learning To Cope
by kinz1105
Summary: Life is tough after Mr. and Mrs. Curtis are killed in a tragic car accident, but the Curtis brothers are tougher. Complete!
1. Eleven seventeen

**Hey! So this is not my first fanfic. I actually have a lot of experience with it, but its posted somewhere else. I dare you to try and find it. :)**

 **So this is quite honestly just your average 'Curtis parents die and Darry takes custody' fic. It's in my own style, but some of the ideas are inspired (inspired, not copied) from other authors.**

 **I also did a lot of research to find out when the Curtis parents died. In The Outsiders, Ponyboy said it was eight months ago, and that his birthday was one month ago. So I looked it up and his birthday was July 22nd, so The Outsiders took place in late August. Eight months away from August is January, so that's when they died.**

 **I decided to make it happen on New Years Eve :)**

 **So enough of my rambling, enjoy!**

"We'll be back by ten," Mrs. Curtis had reassured her son's earlier that night, before leaving with her husband for a fancy dinner. It was New Year's Eve, just after a fresh snow. The roads were glazed with deadly ice.

It was now midnight. Just as the clock struck twelve, it gave a low sounding clang signifying the new year.

"Happy New Year…" Ponyboy said half-heartedly, tiredly draped over the arm on the couch. Sodapop, who lay splayed out on the cushions of the couch, weakly blew a paper noisemaker.

Two-Bit lay in the center of the floor passed out and mumbling deliriously from the amount of beer he had consumed that night. He would have quite the hangover in the morning.

Johnny sat in an armchair, Dallas and Steve perched on the arms like his protectors. Johnny was asleep, and Steve and Dallas looked on the verge of it.

As for Darry, he stood in the kitchen, fumbling around making coffee to keep himself awake. The entire gang had been up since two o'clock the previous morning, when one by one the gang had decided to barge through the Curtis's front door, each equipped with their own excuse.

Mr. And Mrs. Curtis hadn't been thrilled, but they had allowed it.

"Aren't mom and dad supposed to be home?" Soda mumbled, still half asleep. Darry looked up.

"Yeah," Pony muttered back. "Two….. hours ago…" He said through a yawn.

As if on cue, a knock sounded on the door. Darry found himself walking towards it, Inadvertently wondering why his parents would have to talk if they wanted to get in.

But when he opened the door, it wasn't his parents.

Shit, he thought when he saw the grim face of the officer. He wanted to voice that, but instead he pulled a smile and said, "How may I help you?"

The cop looked at his clipboard. "Is this the Curtis residence? The home or Darrel and Martha Curtis?"

"Those would be my parents," Darry said, confused.

The cop nodded without emotion. "You have two younger brothers… Ponyboy Michael and Sodapop Patrick?"

Darry nodded. "Bring them to the door, please." The officer said. But his two brothers were already by my side, hair tousled and still in pajamas.

"Darry didn't do nothin' wrong," Soda said protectively. "And neither did me or Pony!"

The cop shook his head. "No one did anything wrong," he said. "I am here regarding your parents."

Shit, there went Darry's inner mind again. His heart froze, those roads were icy.

"I'm afraid there's been an accident," the officer said, his voice oozing with sympathy.

Soda shook his head. "No…" he muttered. He looked up, his brown eyes hopeful and innocent. "Are they going to be okay?"

"There are no survivors," the officer said, shaking his head. "A- a train ran over their car on their way home. They were trying to cross the train tracks, the warning sign was broken. One of our officers was on the side of the road, watching for speeding. It happened at eleven seventeen tonight."

Pony's knees shook and Soda grabbed his arm protectively. Darry watched as tears flowed like waterfalls from his brother's eyes.

As for Darry, he felt his chest fill with anger. A broken sign? His parents were dead because a damn policeman couldn't fix a shitty sign?

"Anything- anything else we can do for you, officer?" Darry's voice unconsciously shook.

The cop nodded solemnly. "We- we need to identify the bodies for the wake and funeral. At least one of you will need to go to the morgue tomorrow morning."

"I'll go," Darry volunteered. With a final nod of sympathy, the cop left.

•••

The night was spent tearfully, the Curtis brothers who thirty minutes ago were fighting to stay awake struggling to find sleep. Dallas, Steve, and Johnny had all awoken after the officer had left, though Two-Bit was still sprawled out on the floor sleeping off my multiple drinks he'd had.

"Shit man," Dally had said when Darry had told him the news. "I'll take Steve and Johnny and we'll go stay at Two-Bits place for the night, alright?"

Before Darry could protest, Dally kicked Two-Bit sharply in the ribs, cursing at him to 'stand his ass up'. Wobbly and uncertain, Two-Bit hobbled out the door as Dallas and Steve supported his arms.

Now Darry was left with his brothers, who were entangled in each other's arms. Soda was trying to stroke Pony's hair reassuringly, though it wasn't exactly effective since he was bawling equally as much.

Darry couldn't cry, though. As far as he knew, he was old enough to take complete custody over his brothers. He'd gladly give up anything in his near future if he could stay with his family.

He was the parent, now. Darry's parents had tried their best never to let their kids see them upset and distraught. Now it was Darry's job.

He wouldn't push rules onto his brothers tonight, though. Technically, he couldn't make them do anything until he signed the papers. He shivered involuntarily. The papers. With one signature, he would give up his entire future for the sobbing forms before him.

He hadn't even thought about giving them up. He couldn't bare it. Send them to a boys home? An orphanage? Some big brother that would make him. No, he would keep his brothers right here in Tulsa. He would pick up where his parents had left off.

He would start now.

He made his way to the couch, sitting next to his brothers. The couch cushions sank with the extra weight.

He wrapped a protective arm around Soda, who had Ponyboy's thin frame wrapped in his arms.

Suddenly, he couldn't hold it in anymore. As if on automatic, tears flowed from his eyes silently. They were quiet and depressed, unlike Pony and Soda's distraught, choking sobs.

He wanted to comfort his brothers, but he didn't know how to comfort himself.

How in the name of Christ was this going to work?

 **How was it? I had to type and proofread this on my phone since there was this weird thing going on with my laptop. :( so please excuse spelling errors.**

 **I'm so sorry for the ending, don't shoot ;D**

 **Please take five seconds to review, eh? Those five seconds mean the whole world to me :)**

 **Enough of my cheesy mouth, get anxious for my next chapter!**


	2. Family comes first

**Hey! :3 Hopefully it's everything you ever wanted!**

 **As you can tell, most of this story is in Darry's POV (kinda) but I think I'm going to switch it up and do Soda and Darry once in awhile, because I have certain plot bunnies surrounding them. You'll be able to tell when I do so.**

 **Enjoy!**

Darry wiped away the sweat forming on his brow. He was driving back from the morgue after the horrifying experience of identifying his parents lifeless bodies.

Nobody had told him there had been a fire. Nobody had prepared him for his parents misshapen, melted faces. It was like something out of a horror movie. Infact, it was _worse._

Thus, Darry had found the ability to recognize what was left of his mother's beautiful, golden hair. The hair she had passed on to Soda. He could identify his father's broad shoulders and dark scraggly beard.

Sighing, Darry pushed open the front door, finding the scene before him not much different than the one the night before. Ponyboy sat splayed out on the sofa staring blankly at a wall, deep in thought. Soda stumbled about in the kitchen, absentmindedly throwing random ingredients into a pan. Darry doubted he was even conscious of what he was doing, but if it took his mind off things, it was welcome.

Darry sat down on the couch beside Pony, putting his head in his hands. Ponyboy didn't budge. Looking up at the clock, Darry saw it was ten o'clock in the morning.

Then he remembered it was New Year's Day.

His parents didn't even live into the new year.

"How long of you guys been up?" Darry asked, hoping to break the silence that made the room seem ten times louder.

Darry could just hear Soda mutter something that sounded like, 'a few hours'.

Next to him, Ponyboy slouched on the couch, leaning into Darry's shoulder. Darry wrapped a strong arm around his brother's thin frame.

 _Thirteen,_ Darry thought. _That's how old Ponyboy is. Just barely a teenager, I might as well be raising a child from scratch._

"Darry…" Ponyboy whimpered. Darry could hear the strain in his brother's voice. Trying not to cry. Trying to hold his trembling emotions up. "What are we gonna do? You've got college and Soda's gonna be graduating high school in two years… and I'll barely be fifteen! What are we gonna do, Darry?"

Darry hugged his brother closer and whispered into his ear. "I ain't going to college, Pony. You think I'd leave you and your brother alone? They'd have you in a boys home the moment I left."

Ponyboy sniffed. "But- but Darry… You worked so hard for that scholarship! You've got something real good going for you with football, too…"

"Ponyboy," Darry said, his voice dead serious. He was no longer whispering. "Family comes first. You think I'd give the two of you up for some scholarship? No way! I can go to college in a few years, when you and Soda are both grown up."

A feeble smile found its way to Ponyboy's lips. "Then you'll be going to college with me, Darry. Assuming I get accepted and all."

Darry gave a weak laugh. "I'm sure you will Pony. Me and you. College."

"People are gonna get a real kick outta that," Ponyboy laughed.

The two looked up to see Soda standing in the doorway, wiping a dish dry. "What's that Darry?" he asked. "You ain't going to college? Why?"

"Family comes first," Darry repeated with a smile. "I taking custody over you two."

Soda nearly dropped the plate. "What?" He said in disbelief.

Darry shifted on the couch. "Do you need me to spell it out for you, Soda? I'm taking custody. As in your _legal guardian._ "

Soda's brow furrowed. "You're trying to replace mom and dad?" His voice broke. "You can't, Darry."

Darry put his head in his hands and sighed. "I know that, Soda, I know. I would never try and replace mom and dad. But you don't want to be sent to some boys home, do you?"

Soda opened his mouth, but no words came out **.**

Darry stood up with, looking final. "Tomorrow I'm going to go sign the custody papers, and they'll probably call us to a hearing to see if I'm fit to be a guardian, too. I'll probably go looking for a job too, tomorrow afternoon. I saw some openings at the roofing place…"

Ponyboy sighed. "You're twenty years old, Darry. You shouldn't have to worry about things an adult does."

Darry stared into Pony's longing green eyes. For a thirteen year old, he sure was smart. The kid really had something going for him.

"You're going to be someone someday, you know that Ponyboy?"

Ponyboy shrugged and sank back into the couch.

"I've got that part time job at the DX," Soda said. "That can help pay for the funeral and the wake costs. And if you _really_ want to give up on college…"

Darry sighed. "I'm not giving up, Soda, don't put it like that. I'm going to go to college when Ponyboy goes."

Soda snorted.

"I'm serious!" Darry said.

"Sure thing, Superman," Soda said, tossing the towel at Darry. It landed across his face.

Next to him, Pony started giggling like mad.

"You think this is funny?" Darry said jokingly, ripping the towel from his face. He tosses in across the room. "I'll show you funny!"

He playfully tackled his younger brother, tickling his ribs. Pony's eyes grew huge in their sockets, before he broke into a fit of laughter.

With a dramatic gasp, Sodapop leapt to the couch and tried with all his might to pry his older brother off his younger one.

Finally, he succeeded. While snickering, he sat next to a giggling, wheezing Ponyboy.

"What the hell, Darry?" Pony asked through gasps and shocks of laughter. "What was that for?"

"Thought you needed a little cheering up," Darry said with a smile. "You'd better get used to it, having me as a guardian."

Ponyboy smiled at his brother. "You know what, Darry? I think you'll be alright."

Darry smiled at his younger brother. "Ditto."

"Ohhhhh," Soda cooed, squeezing between his two brothers. "Isn't this just a mushy gushy fest of love? When's the wedding?"

Ponyboy laughed and tried to push his brother away. "Stop it, Soda. We ain't getting married."

"Really?" Soda asked with mock surprise. "You'd make a great couple, you two"

"You sound like Two-Bit," Darry laughed.

"Yeah, Two-Bit!" Soda cried. "That reminds me. We're gonna call the gang over here right now!"

 **Omg this damn thing inspired me to do a Darry and Ponyboy in college together story, which I think I might do :)**

 **So anyways, please take five seconds of your day to review ;)**

 **Also I'm sorry if the slang isn't good… The area where I'm from has its own kind of slang… So I'm kind of building off of that? I guess it's kind of similar :/**

 **I'm actually going to Dairy Queen right now so that's extremely important okay just review Hun.**


	3. Signing away the future

**Thanks for all your reviews :) Here's an update! There's kind of a mini cliffy at the end, nothing too bad though.**

 **Also, the only thing I've ever been associated with Social Services with has been planning a funeral, which I guess kind of applies here…? So I apologize if this is inaccurate.**

 **Please review! Enjooooy!**

Darry came through the front door, sighing. He had just given up his college and any chance for a decent career to work full time at a roofing industry, which he started working at tomorrow. He had come to pick up Ponyboy and Soda before he went to the Social Worker's office.

 _Dress up nice,_ he had told them. _We want to make a good impression._

But when he stepped through the door, he got what he had expected. Ponyboy had _tried_ to make himself look decent, but nobody had ever taught that kid how to tie a tie so he was running around trying to get the thing around his neck while avoiding strangling himself. Soda ran after him crying 'Let me help you! Let me help you!' but Darry would be damned if he could do it, either. Two-Bit was in the kitchen, obviously drunk as he smashed pots and pans together. Dallas and Johnny were nowhere in sight, but Steve stood off to the side as though he was enjoying the whole scene of chaos.

"What the hell is goin on?" Darry cried as Soda almost ran into him.

"Pony won't let me tie his tie," Soda said breathlessly.

Darry sighed. "Like you have a clue either, smartass. Go get dressed, I'll do his tie."

Soda sighed in defeat, heading towards his bedroom. Darry turned to Steve. "What's up with you and Two-Bit? What are you doing here?"

Steve shrugged. "Well, we spent the night like Dally and Johnny, but they left for the drive in a few hours ago. We stuck around… Two-Bit found the beers and…" He gestured to the teen clanging the silverware together in the kitchen.

Darry sighed. "Just keep an eye on him, Steve. I've got to help Pony before he strangles himself…"

Darry knelt down to face Pony, tying his tie in front of his face. He'd teach him how to do it himself later.

•••

The Social Worker's office was the exact thing Darry dreaded. Neat, lots of breakable knick-knacks, and smelled of a weird cross of perfume and disinfectant spray. A lady with long blonde hair perched in a bun at the top of her head sat behind a desk, wearing a blue business suit.

"Hello Darrel," she said when the three brothers enters the room. "And could you remind me the names of your brothers?"

Darry grimaced, knowing this was just a play to hear someone say his brother's admitably ridiculous names aloud. "This is Sodapop," Darry said, gesturing to his second youngest brother. "And Ponyboy," he gestured to the youngest Curtis.

"I see," the lady said, not batting an eye at the boy's unusual names. "I'm Mrs. Ross, and it's nice to finally meet the Curtis family."

There was an awkward silence as Darry, Soda, and Ponyboy sat in the padded chairs placed in front of Mrs. Ross's desk. As they did so, Mrs. Ross took out a clipboard and pen, careful not to let any of the subjects before her see what was written on it.

"Now," she said. "Let's get right into it, shall we?"

The three Curtises nodded.

"I'm not going to sugar coat anything," Mrs. Ross admitted. "Darrel and Martha Curtis have passed away in a car-train wreck, and minors Sodapop Patrick Curtis and Ponyboy Michael Curtis are in need of a guardian, is that correct?"

"Yes ma'am." Darry nodded.

"I see…" Mrs. Ross scanned her clipboard. "It says here that on your parents wills, that if anything should happen to them, Darrel Shaynne Curtis would be appointed guardian of his two younger brothers, as long as he was of age at the time of the accident." She looked up. "May I see your I.D., Darrel?"

Darry clicked his teeth as he dug into his pocket for his wallet. These Social Services were _all_ about security, because Darry was almost positive that his record and age had to be _somewhere_ on that lady's clipboard.

"I see," Mrs. Ross tutted as she examined Darry's I.D. through lifted glasses. "Darrel Shaynne Curtis, nineteen years of age…"

She folded her hands, and this time turned to Pony and Soda. "Would you boys mind telling me how life has been at home with only your brother, for the past two days? Is everything alright? Has he been feeding you properly. Just be honest, boys."

Both Soda and Pony were silent until Soda croaked, "We take turns. With cooking and food."

"Mmhmm…" Mrs. Ross jotted something down on her clipboard. "So he's teaching you responsibility."

"He's doing everything our parents did," Pony said quietly.

Mrs. Ross nodded and wrote something else down. "Would you boys _want_ him for a guardian? Please don't say yes just because Darrel is in the room. He will gladly leave if…"

"No!" Ponyboy shook his head. "No, don't make him leave. Please." He turned to Soda. "I would love to have Darry as a guardian."

"I would, too," Soda said with a smile.

Mrs. Ross smiled too, and scanned her clipboard. "Yes, it looks as though he's fit enough… Good stats, had a scholarship for a college…" Mrs. Ross looked up. "If you're ready to take on such a responsibility, Darrel, then I will have you sign the papers and I can call a hearing for you to testify for the custody over your two brothers."

Darry sucked in his breath. Here was was. He was doing it right now. Signing his future away.

But one look at the smiling faces of his two brothers, and he knew it was the right decision to make.

"I'll sign," he said.

Sodapop whooped with joy and wrapped his arms around Ponyboy, who laughed and accepted his brother's crushing hug. How could Darry spilt that apart? How cruel would a person have to be?

He turned around and clicked the blue ball point pen Mrs. Ross had given him open. Then he signed the papers that would give him a new, more meaningful future.

 _Darrel Shaynne Curtis._

 **Ooooh LALA look at dat cliffy ;O I told you it was kind of a happy/bittersweet one!**

 **Please take five seconds out of whatever you're doing (which is probably lying on the couch or in bed reading this tbh) to review!**

 **Thanks!**


	4. I'm sorry for your loss

**All I have to say about this chapter is that it's kind of bittersweet… :)**

 **Please don't strangle me via computer.**

 **Also, I have a method for writing. As you're reading this, I already have chapter 5 written and I am working on chapter 6. So if you think I don't update fast enough, it's because I'm adding in those heart wrenching plot twists everyone loves (and hates XD).**

 **Anyways, I don't own the Outsiders. S.E. Hinton does :v**

Darry's parents had left behind enough money to cover the wake and funeral costs. In their will, they had requested not to have two separate graves if they were to die together, but one grave that would cover both of them. At first Darry had thought his parents were trying to save money, but then he realized this just went to show how much they truly loved each other.

The night of the wake, the two coffins were kept closed. The people who ran the funeral and wake services had done their best to their parents up for the burial, but all three Curtis brothers agreed it would best to have people's last memories of Mr. And Mrs. Curtis be the ones where they were alive and happy, not a lifeless form in a box.

Three seats were set aside at the wake for immediate family, which included Darry, Sodapop, and Ponyboy. The funeral home was nice enough; lots of antique furniture and flowers.

Soon, people from all over Tulsa started pouring into the lobby, wearing their best clothes. They would kneel down by Mr. And Mrs. Curtis's coffins and say a prayer before moving down the greeting line, shaking the brother's hands and saying ' _I'm sorry for your loss.'_ They heard that phrase a lot that night.

After the general public had left the wake, people Darry actually _knew_ starting flooding into the funeral home. Now he didn't have to gesture to his brothers and say "This is my brother Sodapop, and my other brother, Ponyboy." When his closer friends and relatives started filing in, he heard less of ' _I'm sorry for your loss.'_ and more stories about his parents that made his brother's smile despite themselves.

"Your mother," Mrs. Matthews laughed, wiping both sad and happy tears from her eyes with a handkerchief. She held Ponyboy's clammy hand in between both of hers. " _Never_ wanted to stop having kids. And when your father gave those… _unusual_ names to you and your brother, do you know what she said to me?" Ponyboy shook his head, feeling uneasy. Laughing at a wake? Was that allowed? "She said…" Mrs. Matthews had to catch her breath. "At least when I call them home for dinner, they'll know who I'm talking to! Oh, she was quite the woman, your mother!"

Two-bit's mother then left on a heap of laughter and hysterical tears.

Pony felt let down when she left. Mrs. Matthews had brought a sense of happiness to the sober wake… a ray of sunshine through a blanket of dark, suffocating clouds.

•••

The next morning was the funeral. If possible, it was ten times harder than the wake. Sodapop had gotten used the the wake. All of those family friends filing by, shaking his hand and saying ' _I'm sorry for your loss.'_ It was easy to get into a repetitive routine, smiling and accepting the hand. Sodapop did good with anything repetitive.

But he didn't know what to expect at the funeral. His parents had died young, it would be packed. Soda found it brutal how funerals for young people who had died violent, crazy deaths were always more widely known than the ones for old people who had died quietly and peacefully.

Soda felt a small tap on his shoulder. He turned to face Ponyboy.

"We're here," his younger brother said, voice cracking as he gestured to the church.

Sodapop sighed as he stepped out of the car.

•••

Soda stood, his arm around Ponyboy protectively. Soda may not have been good at estimating, but at least a hundred people surrounded them.

And they were in front of them all.

Ponyboy held a red rose in his hand, sniffling. Soda could feel his small body trembling on his side, and he hugged him closer to keep him from falling over.

Tears raining down his face, Pony placed the rose on the coffin.

Just minutes earlier, the sky had opened up and dropped gallons of rain onto the funeral party of Mr. And Mrs. Curtis, leaving everyone there drenched to the bone.

Sodapop couldn't complain. He liked how it darkened the mood.

•••

The night was dark. Outside, crickets chirped. The whole world was asleep, yet Ponyboy lay awake.

He was afraid to let him fall asleep. Every time he closed his eyes, he mother's dying screams rang in his head. His father's last words; ' _Duck Martha!'_ Ponyboy wasn't sure how, but he was certain that those were the last noises his parents had made.

Anything before the last few days seemed like ancient history. The last thing that seemed real was his mother explaining that leftovers were in the fridge and she'd be home to watch the new year ring in.

But she never came home. That was the last time his mother would every use the broken, creaking front door.

" _We'll be back by ten!"_ The last word's Ponyboy ever heard his mother say.

" _Night, guys,"_ the last words from his father.

 _Seeing blinding headlights of the train. Hearing it screech, trying to stop. Feeling it be too late._

The last things his parents had ever felt was the sense of something being too late.

The train.

That goddamn train.

Ponyboy had never felt hatred so sickening before. That asshole driver of that train. Hatred flooded his veins. Ponyboy had never _hated_ someone before. Not even the socs. But he hated the driver who was on that train the other night, and he didn't even know him.

 _It wasn't his fault,_ the miniscule but sensible part of his brain told him. _It wasn't anyone's fault. The sign was broken-_

Like a knife slicing through butter, Ponyboy cut himself off from the part of his brain that actually had common sense. He lay there, cold in the night.

He wished he could take a clock and reverse time. If he could, he would've done whatever it took to keep his parents off those icy roads. He would scream. Throw a tantrum. Throw things. Hell, he'd even _hurt_ himself if it meant his parents would stay home.

But it was too late.

 **;o Don't hurt me. Take it from the author, there is a** _ **lot**_ **worse coming. :)))))))**

 **So anyways, drop your constructive criticism in the box down there. If you have any ideas on how the Curtis's life would be after the death of their parents, I would love to hear it and I might just add it in!**

 **So review! Can this chapter get 3 reviews?**


	5. If you could rise to the stand

**Yay two updates in one day! I think I'm going to update early in the morning and at night like this… so expect that.**

 **I just found out about the 'moderate guest reviews' thing and I was kind of annoyed. I was really confused as to why the reviews were being emailed to me, and not shown on the site. But it's all good, now ;p**

 **So please enjoy!**

 **I do not own the Outsiders.**

Screams.

Earsplitting screams.

That's what awoke Darry at four o'clock the morning after his parent's funeral. Scared out of his mind, Darry fumbled around for the baseball bat under his bed, and swung it over his shoulder.

Tiptoeing down the hall, he tried to listen for the source of the screams.

Ponyboy's room. _Shit._

Bat on his shoulder, Darry ripped open the door leading to his younger brother's room. He expected to find some sort of burglar, but the room was empty besides Ponyboy, who was screaming and thrashing in his sleep.

By this time, Soda had heard the ruckus from his room on the other side of the house. He had charged through the open door to his brother's side, shaking him awake.

Even once he wasn conscious, Ponyboy still sobbed. Soda wrapped his trembling brother in his loving arms, and Darry stood at the foot of the bed, confused.

What had happened? A few hours ago, the Curtis brothers had all went to bed. Tired and sad, yes, but peaceful.

Now, six hours later, the youngest member of the family was awake and bawling his eyes out.

"What's wrong?" Soda asked gently. "Are you hurt?"

Ponyboy shook his head. "N-no." he said. "I had a nightmare a-and I woke up."

"Nightmare?" Darry was confused. His younger brother had worked up the whole house over a bad dream? "About what?"

Pony shuddered. "M-mom and dad," he said. "They- they were in the car and there was a train and…" He took a tearful gasp, looking into Darry's eyes. His grey-green pupils glistened with fear. "I- I can't remember the rest."

Darry sighed. "Well, try and get some sleep, okay Pony? We have the custody hearing tomorrow."

Ponyboy looked to Soda. "Will you sleep with me?"

Soda didn't hesitate. The twin sized bed might have been a little cramped, but Soda snuggled right in next to Ponyboy.

"Goodnight, Darry," he said.

•••

The court was packed the following afternoon. Darry sat by Mrs. Ross's side, as she had experience with court and had made the kind gesture to be his lawyer. Darry had of course accepted, anything to save money.

Behind him sat Ponyboy and Sodapop. Every now and then, Darry would glance behind him to see Ponyboy anxiously biting his nails or Soda tapping his foot on the floor. Several times Darry would have to pull Pony's hand from his mouth to stop him from turning his nails to nubs or place a hand on Soda's knee to silence the sound of his dress shoe against the tile floor.

Finally, the gavel sounded. "As of this hearing, Darrel Shaynne Curtis will testify for the custody of minors Sodapop Patrick Curtis and Ponyboy Michael Curtis. However, Oklahoma Social Services disagree…"

Darry's heart turned to ice. Disagree? Did they not find him worthy for caring for his own two brothers?

Darry shot a glance at Pony and Soda. Both were pale as sheets.

"If Mr. Timothy Bartner could please rise to the stand."

A man with thinning gray hair and a thick gray mustache made his way to the front of the courthouse. His complexion was emotionless, as if he had no cares for the three boys who stood over washed with anxiety.

"I think," Bartner said. "That Mr. Darrel Curtis is not fit to care for minors Sodapop and Ponyboy for several reasons. After the recent death of his parents, the boy could be in shock, for all we know! It was a tragic accident, what happened to Mr. And Mrs. Curtis. Everything happened so suddenly, who knows if he's thinking straight!

"Also, I would like the jury to consider that Darrel is just a kid himself. Nineteen years old, his records read? I, being a parent of a nine year old daughter, would not want a mere teenager holding custody over my daughter.

"Now, I know that Sodapop and Ponyboy are both well over nine years old. But let's take a look at the youngest of the family, thirteen years old! A loss this tragic can highly effect someone so young, putting them into shock. Denial, even. I think minor Ponyboy Curtis would do very well under the state's care, getting the proper help and therapy he needs."

Bartner opened up his mouth as if to say something more, but closed it. He leaned forwards and said, "Thank you."

The judge nodded in consent. "If Mrs. Ross, lawyer of Darrel Shaynne Curtis could rise to the stand."

Mrs. Ross rose, bun bobbing on top of her head. She took her place at the stand, clearing her throat shrilly.

"While Mr. Curtis is very young, he has shown excellent care to his younger brothers," she began. "When I met with them, both Ponyboy and Sodapop told me that they were perfectly happy under Darrel's care. As far as his records show, he has good stats and a former scholarship to Tulsa University, which he gracefully gave up to care for his brothers.

"As Ponyboy Curtis tells me, Darrel encourages them to 'work together,' and have responsibility. He said, and I _quote,_ 'He's doing everything our parents did.' If that doesn't show that Mr. Curtis here will make a fit guardian, than I don't know what will.

"As for this whole 'being in shock' situation. Of course these boys are baffled at the recent deaths of their parents, it came so suddenly! But merely being _surprised_ doesn't make someone mentally unstable, does it?

"And of course, Social Services will begin checking in on the Curtis family every three months to make sure that they are financially able. Sending these boys to foster care would only be causing separation and pain that doesn't mean to be caused."

She didn't make a dramatic exit like Bartner had felt the need to. Instead, she finished her speech crisply and left the stand.

"If minor Sodapop Curtis could rise to the stand.

•••

All eyes were in Soda as he stood at the stand. It was then that he realized he'd rather die than be questioned ever again.

"Tell me Sodapop," the judge said. "You're a middle child. Do you ever feel left out from the family? Excluded?"

Soda shook his head. "N-no. Not at all. If anyone's excluded, it's Darry. Me and Pony are always doin' things together."

The judge nodded. "And what do you mean by, _doing things together?_ You're not dragging your brother into anything illegal, are you? Drugs, perhaps?"

 _Shit,_ Soda _I screwed up this time._

"No, sir." He said. "Nothing like that. L-last week I took Pony fishing…"

Out of the corner of his eye, Soda could see the jury discussing what he had just said.

"Lovely," the judge's voice broke through his mind. "Now, tell me Sodapop, would you feel comfortable under Darrel's care?"

"Oh- of course." Soda said. "He is my brother, after all. I ought to feel comfortable around my own brother."

The judge wrote something down. "If minor Ponyboy Curtis could rise to the stand."

•••

Ponyboy's heart leapt out of his chest as he stood, being questioned in front of a full court. He'd kill himself before he had to do this again.

"Ponyboy," said the judge. "Do your brothers set good examples when they are around you?"

Ponyboy gulped. "Yessir," he said. "I- I don't think they do n-nothing illegal when I'm not around, either."

"Would you be happy under Darrel's care?"

Ponyboy intertwined his fingers behind his back. "Of- of course."

"Can you describe your relationship with your brothers?"

Ponyboy's knees felt on the urge of buckling beneath him. "Well… Me and Soda get on real good. Me- me and Darry… We argue sometimes, but my- my parents always said that was normal."

The judge nodded, ushering Pony back to his seat.

•••

"Custody granted." The judge brought the gavel down on the block of wood.

Soda and Pony leapt from their seats, each wrapping their arms around their older brother. For the first time in days, they truly felt everything would be alright.

As for Darry, he had never been happier. As his brothers hugged him tightly, he couldn't help but think about the college he had given up. The possibility of a career in football.

But this was his new future.

And he didn't regret a thing.

 **It's a little bit longer than most of my chapters, but hopefully you should like that :)**

 **Please leave me constructive criticism! In other words,** _ **tell me whats freaking wrong with my story**_ **:D**

 **C'ya!**


	6. Two-Bit's fruit army

**Sorry I didn't update this morning, I was doing stuff with my fam :) I was going to update this afternoon, but now this is being posted late enough to qualify as a 'night update'**

 **I must admit, this chapter was wicked fun to write. I decided to give the Curtis brothers a 'break' from all that financial crap and let them have fun :)**

 **Enjoy!**

 **I do not own the Outsiders.**

The next day was spent as if nothing had happened. The gang flooded into the house at an unusual hour, waking the brothers at two thirty in the morning. Of course, not wanting to seem awkward, they met the gang in the living room.

After his last hang-over, Two-Bit had completely drained the house of all alcoholic beverages. And since Mickey Mouse wasn't on in the middle of the night, he sat at the kitchen table, telling not-so-scary horror stories to Ponyboy and Johnny.

Soda and Steve sat side by side on the couch, rambling continuously about how horrible their math teacher was. Darry caught part of the conversation: ' _I hear he keeps his daughter locked in the basement!'_ But he didn't have the heart to tell them that he was single and had no kids.

As for Dally? He was in the cooler for the weekend after he had graffitied the local grocery store. Two-Bit had told him what he had painted on it, and it was enough to make Darry blush and never want to repeat it.

Darry glanced into the kitchen. Two-Bit had his hand in the cookie-jar and was rambling on, telling Pony and Johnny about a severely haunted house that was supposedly up the street.

"And the spirits of dead caterpillars that people squish in the road live there," Two-Bit went on, stuffing an entire cookie in his mouth.

Ponyboy rolls his eyes. "And what do they do, Two-Bit? Eat all the leaf spirits?"

Two-Bit shook his head. "Worse," he said quietly. "They turn into _butterfly spirits."_

Pony made a sarcastic gasping noise as Johnny chuckled.

Darry turned his attention to Soda and Steve, who were now deep in discussion over their math teacher's nonexistent daughter.

"He feeds her bugs," Steve was saying. "And she wears pillow cases."

Soda nodded, eyes wide. "Yeah," he said. "I bet."

Darry rolled his eyes at how gullible the two of them were. He turned back to the section of the paper he was reading; job applications.

Sodapop was the first to notice. "Hey Dar," he called from his spot on the couch. "Why are you looking at job applications? I thought you already worked for that roofing industry."

Darry's laughed half-heartedly. "I got the water and electric bills today," he said. "I don't think a read stamp is any good, guys. I'm going to get a second job to keep up."

All commotion in the house had stopped by now. Two-Bit had stopped feeding his face, Pony and Johnny had stopped laughing, and Soda and Steve no longer gawked over the strange rumors of their math teacher. All eyes were turned on Darry.

"But you work enough, Darry." Ponyboy said quietly. "I see you when you come home, all exhausted and sore. You shouldn't have to do _more_ work over a few bills."

Darry shook his head, and smiled. He didn't want to worry his brothers with money, they were too young to be concerned about things like that. "Nevermind that," he said. "Why don't we-"

A sudden knock against his head silenced Darry. He turned to the kitchen to face an apple rolling on the floor, and Two-Bit who grinned sheepishly, armed with more fruit.

"Oops," Two-Bit muttered, not sounding sorry at all.

That's when all hell broke loose.

Darry picked up the apple in his first, chucking it at Two-Bit, who dodged. Grinning wildly, he picked a lemon from his army of fruit and aimed for Darry.

Instead it hit Soda in the arm.

Soda leapt to his feet, charging for the kitchen. He opened up the refrigerator, finding a basket of soft, rotting tomatoes. He picked one up, tested it in his palm, and threw it, hitting Two-Bit square in the face.

"Hey!" Two-Bit cried, trying to wipe old tomato splat from his eyes. "I didn't _mean_ it hit you!"

Soda rolled his eyes. "But you did, didn't you?" He picked up another tomato, aiming it at Two-Bit. Instead of standing and waiting to get pelted with old fruit, Two-Bit sprinted from the kitchen and threw himself on the couch. The tomato Sodapop had thrown exploded in Ponyboy's face.

Soda looked stricken. "Pony I didn't mean-"

But Ponyboy didn't wait for Soda to apologize. He grabbed the Pepsi he had been drinking from the table, shook it violently, and opened it up right in front of his older brother's face.

" _Gah!"_ Soda cried, putting his hands in front of his face to shield himself. "That's _it!"_

He grabbed his own Pepsi and shook it.

He meant to aim for Ponyboy, but the thirteen year old knew better than to stay and have Pepsi shot into his face. He placed his own bottle down on the table with a _clang_ as the glass met his face and ran. Unaware of this, Soda opened his own Pepsi, throwing the cap to the ground, and aimed.

It hit Steve sqaure in the chest.

" _Soda!"_ Steve cried, picking up a banana from Two-Bit's fruit army. He peeled it, and threw it blindly.

It hit Johnny on the back.

Normally, Johnny wouldn't retaliate. If it were his parents or a soc, he would've sat back and taken it.

But this was _Steve._

He grabbed a half-empty Pepsi, stood on his tiptoes, and poured it over Steve's head.

Ponyboy laughed as Johnny smiled proudly. But Steve wasn't going to take it.

Grabbing a rotten tomato, he threw it at Ponyboy's turned back. Surprisingly, the fruit hit it's target.

Ponyboy spun around, anger flashing in his eyes. "What _is_ it with you people and tomatoes?" He cried.

Ponyboy was about to pelt Steve with blueberries when Darry stepped in. " _Enough."_ He said. "Two-Bit, Johnny, Steve, if you're going to spend the night, then take a spot in the living room. Pony and Soda… Go to bed."

Soda huffed. "You're sending us to _bed?"_

Darry nodded, as if he were proud of himself. "Yes. Now _go."_

Grumbling, Pony and Soda made their way down the hall. Before parting to go into their separate rooms, Ponyboy grinned at his older brother.

"We just got sent to _bed."_ He said.

Soda rolled his eyes, also smiling. "I guess _that's_ normal."

 **I hoped you liked it. Why does Two-Bit have to start everything?! :P**

 **So apparently I'm whats considered an 'artsy person' because I'm good at drawing, I do photography, I read, and I write? HOWWWW?**

 **PLEASE REVIEW PLEASE OMG PLEASE REVIEW :)))))))))))**


	7. You're such a klutz

**This chapter is dedicated to my little brother, because he inspired me when he closed his hand in the car door in the Dunkin Donuts parking lot this morning :) So you have him to thank, basically, because without him this wouldn't exist. ;P**

 **Don't worry, there's also a chapter coming up inspired by an injury my older brother got… poor Ponyboy xD**

 **I do not own the Outsiders.**

The hot sun beat down on Darry's head. Every Time the hammer made contact with the nail, the metallic _clang_ echoed in Darry's head. Every nail he tapped into the wood felt like an accomplishment.

Over the horizon, the sun was beginning to set. The different colors blended together like a watercolor painting, the pinks becoming orange and the orange becoming blue. And in the middle of it all, the sun blew up the image, sliding like an egg yolk down a greasy pan.

Glancing at his watch, Darry saw that is shift was over. He started putting his tools away, so exhausted he didn't notice he was putting them all in the wrong places. He didn't care, either.

Finally, climbing down from the latter, he left work and made his way to the car. He was surprised to see Ponyboy sitting on the hood, legs crossed and smoking a cigarette.

"Want one?" He asked, holding out the box of cigarettes when he saw Darry approaching. Darry shook his head.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, confused.

Ponyboy shrugged, staring out into the sunset. He had always like them. "I went to the movies after school. Decided to come here too see you when you got off work."

Darry rolled his eyes. His brother was crazy. "How long have you been here?" He asked.

Ponyboy slid down onto the pavement. "I don't know… Twenty minutes?" He dropped his cancer stick on the ground and crushed the butt with the sole of his shoe. "How long have _you_ been here?" He asked jokingly.

Darry sighed, getting in the car. "'Bout thirteen hours," he answered honestly.

Ponyboy nodded, opening up the passenger side door. "You know Dar, you should-"

Ponyboy never got to finish his sentence because he was cut off by his own sound of pain.

Darry turned to see Ponyboy, clenching his teeth in pain. He panicked at first, not knowing what was wrong, but then saw that his right hand was caught in the top of the car door.

"Shit," Darry muttered, scrambling out of the car. He opened up the passenger door, taking Ponyboy's now swollen hand in his own.

"Well crap," Pony muttered, trying to give a joking smile.

"You're such a klutz, Ponyboy," Darry said. "Can you move your fingers?"

Ponyboy tried to wiggle his fingers slightly but hissed in pain. "Nope," he said, pulling his hand away. "Nope, nope, nope."

Darry sighed. "We're gonna have to go see a doctor about that, Pony."

"No we won't," Ponyboy said. "It doesn't even _look_ swollen!" He held out his throbbing, now bruising hand."

Darry rolled his eyes. "Did I mention you were a klutz?"

Ponyboy shook his head, grinning. "Not once."

Darry ushered Ponyboy back into the car. "We're going to ice that tonight," he said. "But I think it might be broken. If the swelling don't stop by tomorrow, I'm takin' you to a doctor, you here me?"

"But I have school tomorrow, Darry!" Ponyboy complained. "Christmas break ends tomorrow!"

Darry shook his head. "I called the school. They gave you and Sodapop a few days extra so that we could get used to the new living situations. So if your fingers end up being broken, then it's plenty fine for me to take you to a doctor."

"But I didn't even cry," Pony said. "If someone breaks a bone, don't they usually cry?"

"I think you're stronger than you give yourself credit for, Ponyboy."

•••

The gang visited again that night. Darry had made Ponyboy keep his hand in a bucket of ice water, so he sat at the table with Sodapop grimacing at the sharp pains the freezing water caused his probably-broken hand.

"Tell me how it happened again?" Soda said, laughing.

Ponyboy sighed. He had told Soda the story about five times already, having the gang eavesdrop as they pretended to be occupied by something in the living room. Each time he told the story, they laughed at his own expense.

"I went to the house Darry was roofing after I saw a movie," Pony drawled. "And when I was gettin' in the car with him, I closed my fingers in the door."

The gang snickered from the living room as Soda roared with laughter. "Man Ponyboy, you really _are_ a klutz!" He picked up his brothers hand from the ice water and examined it closely. "But it sure does look swollen."

"Yeah," Pony muttered, yanking his hand away. "And it hurts like hell."

"Darry's taking you to see a doctor tomorrow?"

Pony nodded sheepishly. "Yeah, if the swelling don't stop. But I'm sure it will, Soda, so don't-"

Soda snorted. "But I thought you were _scared_ of the doctor's Pony."

"No I'm not," Ponyboy said quickly. "That's a lie. Whoever told you that lied."

Soda grinned and leaned into Pony's ear.

"You told me," he whispered.

Ponyboy felt himself go red as a beat. "Shuddup, Soda, or I'll get out the Pepsi like last night!"

Sodapop gasped dramatically. " _Not the Pepsi!"_

"So help me Soda, I will-"

"Hey!" Darry hollered from the living room. "Don't you two _dare_ go making a mess of the kitchen! I'm still cleanin' up from your last antic in there!"

Ponyboy sighed. "Sure, Darry."

•••

Ponyboy's room seems unnaturally cold that night. No matter how many trips he made the closet for blankets, he still couldn't find warmth.

Around one o'clock, he was about the get up and get another blanket, pillow, or anything of the sort for the twenty seventh time that night when he saw Sodapop standing in his doorway.

He looked how Pony felt: tired and drowsy. But on the inside, Soda was always awake, and Ponyboy knew that.

"Hey, Soda," he said groggily.

"You've been up all night," Soda grinned.

"I'm cold, so I've been getting blankets."

Sodapop rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he said. "Why don't you come sleep with me?"

Too tired to object, Ponyboy followed his brother down the hall and into his bed.

Pony had never felt warmer.

 **Guys, I'm begging you to review. I want to know what** _ **you**_ **would like to see from this story! Feed me ideas, please! It takes literally five seconds and it helps me a bunch :) Everytime I see a review my heart speeds up with excitement, a little :D**

 **So PLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEASE REVIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEW!**


	8. It's called trigger finger

**(Guys it's not a slash. There is no dating in this, especially not brother-brother couples. I am all for gay rights, but when it comes to two people from the same family *especially immediate family* I get kind of weirded out. It's like the Greek gods. So no, you don't have to worry about his being a brother-brother slash guys :D Also, over the night I hit 1,000 views and got 5 reviews. Keep this up, guys ;)**

 **There's some medical terms and stuff in this chapter. I looked it up, and as far as I know Trigger Finger is a real thing and the symptoms are stress… I apologize if that's inaccurate.**

 **Enjoy this chapter and don't hate me after you read it :)**

 **I do not own the Outsiders.**

The next morning, Pony was unwillingly dragged to the doctor's office by Darry. He had protested, muttered swears in his older brother's direction, and even tried to lock himself in his room. But in the end, Ponyboy was forced into the passenger seat of the same car that had caused the whole problem in the first place, leaving Soda to look after the house.

"I bet it's not even broken and this is just a waste of time," Pony grumbled. Despite having slept with Soda the night before, nightmares had still found their way into his mind. They weren't as severe as the first time, but nightmares were nightmares.

Darry sighed. "I bet it _is_ broken and that we're making a smart choice," he retorted smartly. "Honestly, Pony, going to the doctor's is nothing to be afraid of-"

"I'm _not_ scared," Ponyboy insisted defiantly. But by looking into his brother's eyes, Darry could see the fear shining in them.

"If you say so…" he muttered leaning back into his seat.

Darry watched Pony closely as they pulled into the parking lot of the hospital. His eyes became unfocused and scared, like a deer in front of headlights. Darry tried to think of something comforting to say, but realized that his brother would be satisfied if he pretended not to notice.

Darry had to practically drag his brother from the car as Pony muttered, "Please, Darry… I'm fine. I don't need no doctor, my hand barely hurts."

"That's probably 'cause it's numb." Darry said.

"Whatever you say, Superman."

Ponyboy was taken into an examination room. He claimed that the doctors were making a big fuss over his hand, and that it was silly. Though Darry told him to keep quiet when the doctors told him they may had found a condition in Pony's fingers caused by stress.

"It's called Trigger Finger," a man named Dr. Planter told him. "A condition in a person's hand caused by stress. It's normally found in people much older, though if a person has experienced a traumatic situation they may be diagnosed. Has anything been happening lately that would cause your brother to be overly stressed?"

"Yes, actually." Darry said. "Both of our parents passed in a car crash, and it's affecting Pony real bad. He's been having these nightmares…"

"I see…" Dr. Planter said, jotting something on his clipboard. He looked up and smiled. "You're actually very lucky your brother closed his hand in that car, or else this would've gone undiscovered. You see, Trigger Finger is a condition in which the finger snaps and locks in place, unable to straighten. With Ponyboy, this effects the ring and index finger on his left hand."

"So he can't move his fingers at all?"

"Well, they mostly stay curled up in his palm," Dr. Planter explained. "But other than that, no."

"Is there anyway you can fix his hand?" Darry asked.

"You have two options," Dr. Planter said grimly. "Either do nothing and hope for the best, or come in sometime next week for a small surgical procedure. We'll cut open the skin under the two fingers effected, and that way we can fix the nerves causing his fingers to lock. There's no risk, and he'll be good as new afterwards. Your insurance will cover everything."

Darry eyed the floor. He would feel awful doing this to Ponyboy, who was afraid of doctors in the first place. Letting them perform surgery on him would be the hardest thing Darry would ever have to do. But Dr. Planter had said the surgery was risk free, and is sounded simple enough. After all, it was only on his hand. It wasn't heart surgery or anything.

"Will he be asleep?"

"He won't feel a thing." Dr. Planter smiled.

"He'll do the surgery," Darry said.

"Well, the good news is," Darry said as he and Ponyboy drove home. "Your fingers aren't broken."

Ponyboy rolled his eyes. "I told you, Darry. This was just a waste of time."

Darry shook his head. "No it wasn't, Pone. You-" he stopped himself. How could he tell his brother that he had a stress condition in his hand and needed surgery? Pony was terrified of going under the knife. "Have you been feeling okay, Pony?"

Ponyboy looked up at his brother confused. "My parents just died, Darry, do I look okay to you? I-" his voice got caught and his eyes welled with tears. "When I was sitting on your truck, yesterday, looking at the sky… I thought of mom and dad and I wondered if they were up there." Tears began to flow from his eyes. "I miss them, Darry. I- I really do."

Darry struggled to keep his eyes on the road. "So do I, Pony." he said. "We all do."

"B- but I remember the nightmares now." Pony whimpered. "Mom and Dad… They're there. But there not… them. T-they're all burned and hurt and they're yelling at me… saying it's my fault they died… They were yelling at me, Darry. They seemed so evil…"

At this point Darry felt unfit to be Ponyboy's brother, much less his guardian. His brother was so helpless, just a skinny young boy with the weight of the world on his shoulders, trembling and stumbling from pain. Soda was practically an adult, he would be in a few years. But Ponyboy? Pony was still an unformed chunk of clay, letting life mold him into what he would be. Growing up with their parents, Sodapop had been molded into a happy-go-lucky young man, Darry into a smart, strong adult. But Ponyboy had yet to be formed. With his parents stripped of him so young, it was up to Darry to mold him into a smart young man.

"Relax, Darry said comfortingly, placing a hand on Ponyboy's shoulder. "Everything is going to be okay, Pony. I'm going to take care of you, I promise."

He could tell Ponyboy that he would need a surgery later. Right now, he just had to focus on keeping his promise.

 **I aM sO sOrRy**

 **I must be wicked evil to put poor little Ponyboy into surgery, must I? :) Again, I looked it up and as far as I'm aware the symptoms and surgical procedure are real :)**

 **Also, I feel pretty good about this chapter because I typed it on my laptop instead of my phone. What do you think? ;)**

 **Anyways, please review! I love to hear what you guys have to say and every review makes me smile! :D**


	9. He's learning to cope

**Gah sorry for not updating tonight. XD I'm sorry if this chapter is kind of random and pointless, I wrote it all this morning… eek.**

 **I don't really have anything to say except follow this story if you want to be updated on when I post chapters (which is like, completely random) And follow** _ **me**_ **as an author if you want to know when I make a new story!**

 **I do not own the Outsiders.**

Darry had promised himself he would break the news to his brother about surgery soon. He already told Soda, making his brother swear to secrecy. But why couldn't he tell Ponyboy? Maybe it was the fact that every time he saw his youngest brother he seemed to be doing better. Smiling more, and becoming less antisocial. When the gang visited, he actually emerged from his bedroom to hold conversation instead of keeping himself cooped up all day.

 _He's learning to cope_ , Darry thought as he flipped the egg in the frying pan. The brothers had come up with a system that if you woke up first, you made breakfast while the other two cleaned up.

Footsteps sounded from down the hall. Darry expected to see Sodapop, and was surprised when Ponyboy entered the kitchen. Ponyboy always had an annoying tendency to get up late, especially if he had been up at an unusual hour the night before, which he had been.

"Good morning, Ponyboy," Darry said as Ponyboy flopped back onto the couch. "Why are you up so early? It's only six thirty."

Ponyboy rested his head in his head groggily. "I couldn't sleep," he muttered. "I keep on having these nightmares…"

Darry did an involuntary sharp intake of breath. He remembered what Ponyboy had told him about his nightmares three mornings ago, and he wondered if the ones he had had last night were the same. The youngest Curtis hadn't brought up anything about the bizarre dreams since that morning, and Darry had been praying they had stopped. It had been nearly two weeks since their parents died.

 _Now is the perfect time to tell him,_ a small voice in the back of Darry's head told him. The oldest Curtis, glanced across the room at his brother nearly falling asleep on the couch. He seemed so vulnerable, how could Darry ruin the one moment of peace his brother would have all day? He would get Sodapop to tell him. Soda had always been good with Ponyboy.

•••

That afternoon, the gang had surprisingly not bombarded their house like they had the last three days. Darry had head off to work, leaving Ponyboy and Soda alone in the house for the day. Darry had insisted that they wouldn't go back to school until the following Monday.

Sodapop sighed. Today was _Tuesday._ Being cooped up in the house for this long made him think, and when Soda thought about things he automatically generated the worse-case-scenario.

Before he had left, Darry had given Soda a hard state that said, _I want you to tell Ponyboy,_ loud and clear.

That made Soda angry. Why was this all being dumped on him? Why was _he_ in charge of breaking the news to his brother that he would need surgery? Darry was the one who had insisted on taking him to the doctor in the first place! The more Soda thought about it, the angrier he got. Darry was supposed to be the 'adult' in his life, and adults were supposed to handle things themselves! Not dump it on kids!

Soda sighed. Sometimes, he really wondered what went on inside Darry's head. For someone with a full-blown education and a scholarship, he sure had a strange way of thinking.

Soda glanced at Ponyboy, who was popping open a Pepsi at the kitchen counter. Some people might have thought the nine thirty in the morning was too early to be drinking soda, but the Curtises had different rules than most people.

If he looked closer, Soda could see that his brother's ring and index finger curled up into his palm on his left hand.

"Hey Pony," Soda called. The thirteen-year-old turned around, Pepsi in hand.

"What is it, Soda?"

Soda sighed. He hated doing this. "C'mere, Ponyboy. Sit down."

Ponyboy made his way to the couch, a confused expression etched across his face. "What is it, Soda?" His face fell as he sat down. "Someone else didn't die, right?"

Soda laughed dryly. "No, that ain't it. You know when Dar brought you that that doctor's office the other day?"

Ponyboy nodded, still confused. "Yeah, what about it? Is something wrong with me?"

Soda took his younger brother's left hand in his, eyeing his fingers that curled into his palm. "You ain't able to straighten them, are you?"

Ponyboy tried to lift his index finger, face contorted in pain. "No." he said. "I guess I can't."

"Well Ponyboy…" Soda hated the way he sounded like a visitor talking to an extremely ill person by their bedside. "The doc says you've got some sort of stress condition in that hand… Trigger Finger, Darry called it. It means you can't straighten those fingers."

"Oh," Ponyboy said without emotion. "So… what's gonna happen?"

Soda took a sharp intake of breath. "We don't know much about how it's caused, Pony. But right now, the only cure is surgery."

Ponyboy's eyes widened. "Then I guess I'll just have to live with it, 'cause I ain't doing no surgery!"

Soda shook his head. "You don't understand, Ponyboy. If we don't fix you up now, it's going to get worse as you grow up. Soon you'll develop tendons in all your other fingers and your entire hand will be useless!"

"No." Ponyboy insisted. "I won't let them do it, I won't let them, Soda! Do you know how many people have _died_ during surgery?"

"It ain't heart surgery, Pone," Soda reasoned. "More like stitches, than anything else. You've had stitches before, right?"

Ponyboy nodded wearily. "Yeah. 'Course I have."

"Doc said you won't feel any pain," Soda insured. "You'll be asleep before they even start!"

Ponyboy huffed. "Fine." he reasoned. "I won't like it, and I don't think it's worth it, either. But fine."

Soda grinned, draping his arm over his younger brother's shoulder. He grinned.

"I can't wait to see you on them pain drugs, Pone."

 **Oh yes. Neither can I, Soda :)**

 **I'm wicked excited to write the next chapter. I love writing about characters when they're all loopy :D**

 **If you like eat food, it's required that you leave a review!** _ **Required! THE MINISTRY OF MAGIC WILL FIND YOU IF YOU DON'T**_

 **I need help**


	10. It's a cannibal alien

**Sobs because I didn't update yesterday.**

 **Please have mercy! I was wicked busy XD**

 **Not gonna lie, this chapter was wicked fun to write. Hopefully it's just as fun to read :)**

 **I do not own the Outsiders.**

Ponyboy's knee nervously bounced up and down. He shifted in the plastic hospital chair, finding no comfort. He had hated hospitals from the moment he had stepped foot in one when he was four years old. That time, he had been carrying a glass plate around his house and dropped it, cutting himself with the glass. He needed seven stitches.

He had been to the hospital many times after that, and each time he hated it. He didn't like the sterilized smell or the fact that everything around him was white and clean, for 'sanitary reasons'.

 _Tap tap tap._ His foot on the tile floor. _People have died here…_ His horrifyingly overactive mind. _Tap tap tap_. His shoe again. _There might be dead bodies in here right now._ There went his mind.

He glanced to his side at Soda, who also sat in a nervous position. It wasn't any comfort that Darry chewed on the end of his pen as he filled out paperwork, either.

It also didn't help Ponyboy's nerves when Dr. Planter entered the room and said, "Everything is all set, Ponyboy."

•••

They had taken Ponyboy in for surgery around forty five minutes ago, and Dr. Planter had already been around the waiting room reassuring Soda and Darry that everything was going well.

Soda was scared for his little brother. Soda could distinctly remember the day Ponyboy sliced himself real bad with a knife while he was cutting onions. Ponyboy had only been ten years old, making Soda twelve. He was the only one home with his younger brother that day, and the memory of squeezing his brother's hand in his own as a doctor gave him twelve stitches still lingered in his mind.

 _And now he's in surgery,_ Soda thought, admiring how brave Ponyboy was.

Deposits himself, Sodapop smiled. He would get to see his brother on laughing gas. He couldn't help but wonder what his brother would say when he had almost no control over his thoughts.

Soda smirked.

•••

Darry and Soda were allowed in the see Ponyboy twenty minutes later. Ponyboy was sitting up in the hospital bed instead of laying in it, an IV in his right hand and a bandage that wrapped around his ring and index finger on his left. He was carefully examining a painting of a beach scene on the wall, though there wasn't much to see on it.

"Hey Ponyboy," Soda half-whispered. Ponyboy jumped like a scared cat to face his two brothers.

"H- hey…" Ponyboy stuttered drowsily.

Soda smiled. "Hey Ponyboy. How was it?"

"T- they…" Ponyboy rubbed his eye tiredly. "Took the bones outta my finger, didn't they Soda? Now everyone's gonna call me floppy fingers."

Soda snorted. "No one's gonna call you floppy fingers, Pony. The doctors didn't take no bones out of your fingers."

"Did you feel anything, Ponyboy?" Darry asked. "It didn't hurt, did it?"

Ponyboy stared at Darry blankly. "What? What hurt?"

"Don't try and reason with him, Dar," Soda chuckled. "He's on them pain drugs. They make him all loopy. He don't feel a thing right now."

"I don't!" Ponyboy agreed quickly. "It's like I don't even have a hand!"

Soda laughed. Ponyboy was usually the opposite of this. He liked to play the smartass know it all, who always was there to correct you when you got a fact wrong. Now he was acting like Two-Bit, a wisecrack who didn't know his right foot from his left.

"Maybe they chopped it off," Soda grinned.

"Soda!" Darry scolded. "Don't encourage him!"

Ponyboy had spread out his fingers as far as they could go and was holding his hand in front of his face. "It's an alien," he informed his brothers. "From Mars."

Soda smirked, wanting to see how far Ponyboy would go.

"It's a cannibal alien," Ponyboy explained. "It eats other aliens. It ate it's own _mother."_

"What are you seeing right now?" Soda asked, bubbling over with curiosity.

"Don't you see it?" the youngest Curtis asked dreamily. "It's right in front of my face. It's green and oozy and it has one, big, purple eye."

"And it's a _cannibal_ alien?"

"Duh," Ponyboy said, turning his attention from his hand to his brother. "Aren't all aliens cannibals?"

Soda shrugged. "How would I know? I've never met an an alien."

"I have." Ponyboy said blankly.

"I know you have," Soda said, a small laugh escaping his mouth.

"Soda, stop it," Darry said, though he was smiling. "He's drugged up enough at it is, no need to convince him he knows an alien."

"But I _do_ see an alien, Darry." Ponyboy said, his voice deadly serious.

"Oh yeah? Where?"

"You!" Ponyboy burst out into a fit of laughter, laying on his back. "You look _just_ like an alien!"

Soda snorted at Ponyboy's sheer ridiculousness, as he saw Darry go a little red in the face.

"Ha ha," he said. "That was so funny I forgot to laugh, Pone."

Ponyboy sat up, catching his breath.

"But I didn't."

•••

"I did _not_ say that."

Ponyboy sat on the couch, knees drawn to his chest. The doctor had told him that his fingers should be feeling better after a few days, but it could take up to six months for the swelling to stop. He had told Ponyboy to keep the bandage around his hand for another week.

"You did!" Soda insisted. "You thought your hand was an alien, then you said _Darry_ looked like an alien and you burst out laughing!"

Ponyboy blushed a dangerous shade of red. "You don't tell anyone about this. You hear me, Soda? If anyone at school finds out I'll-"

Soda waved his younger brother away. "Don't sweat it Pony, I won't tell a single soul."

Ponyboy rolled his eyes. "Yeah, right."

 **OoooooooH yes**

 **If you review it helps fight against cannibal aliens.**


	11. It will help with feelings

**So basically what I did for this chapter is take a scenario that Ponyboy described in the book and kind of molded it into this story, and give it a deeper meaning.**

 **This is my night update, btw!**

 **I do not own the Outsiders.**

It had been one week, and Ponyboy was already out of the house and walking around the city with Curly Shepard. Darry didn't 'approve', of Curly, saying he was a bad influence. But Ponyboy hadn't seen Curly since the accident, and his curfew wasn't until eleven.

After school, the two boys stopped at the drugstore to pick up a pack a cigarettes and some Coca Colas.

"I have two dimes," Ponyboy said, digging through his pockets. "That's enough for the sodas. I think I've got a nickle somewhere, too…"

Curly rolled his eyes. "I've got a dollar on me, Curtis. I don't go nowhere without paper money."

"Well money's tight, Shepard," Ponyboy scoffed. "Will you look at this?" He stuck out his hand, gesturing to the fresh stitches across his palm. "There's twenty bucks right there."

"Sheesh," Curly said. "What'd you do this time, Curtis?"

Ponyboy stuffed his hand in his pocket. "None of your business, Shepard. Now are you going to buy the cigarettes or not?"

"As long as you buy the sodas," Curly retorted. Ponyboy rolled his eyes, putting his money and two Cokes on the counter.

"I'll take these, and my friend will have a pack of-"

"Cigarettes," Curly finished, making Ponyboy scowl.

The cashier reached behind the counter, grabbing a pack of cigarettes and placing it in front of the two boys. "That will be one dollar and ten cents."

As soon as he left the store, Curly said, "Why didn't you get that wise ass friend of your's to come with us? Two-Bit, that's what you call him! He could've stolen these for us without even thinkin'!"

"That's good, because he doesn't think anyways," Ponyboy laughed.

Curly rolled his eyes. "Always a smartass, Curtis."

Ponyboy opened the bottle of Coke with his teeth. "The one and only, Shepard."

"Shit, Curtis," Curly said. "I forgot to get matches. How are we supposed to smoke a cigarette if we don't have any matches?"

"I knew you'd forget something," Ponyboy snorted. "Which is why I brought a pack." He dig into his pocket and tossed the box of matches to Curly.

"You _are_ a smartass," Curly pondered.

Curly struck the match, lighting a cigarette. Before he put it between his teeth, he looked at Ponyboy, a devious look etched into his expression. "You know what we should do, Curtis? To get all the anger… all the feelings out?"

Ponyboy stopped, putting the match back into the box. "I hate feelings, Shepard. What exactly do you have in mind?"

"Light a cigarette, Curtis. Light it, don't smoke it."

Ponyboy did as he was told, holding the lit cigarette between his thumb and index finger.

"Hold up your hand that isn't… you know… ruined."

"It isn't ruined, Shepard," Ponyboy insisted, but he held up his right hand anyways.

"Good," Curly said. "Now, I'm going to count to three. When I get to three, you press the end of your cigarette into the tip of _my_ finger and I'll press _mine_ into yours."

"This is a bad idea." Ponyboy said blandly.

Curly rolled his eyes. "Do you want to let go of your emotions or not, Curtis? You're parents are _dead._ They ain't gonna do nothing about it!"

Ponyboy almost retorted, but then he thought of the dreams he'd been having lately. His parents, cold and angry, blaming their death on him.

What could they do about it?

"Alright," Ponyboy said warily. "How long?"

Curly grinned deviously. "As long as we can stand it, Curtis."

Ponyboy nodded. "Start the countdown."

"Three… Two… One…"

A burning sensation and the smell of his own burning flesh. That's the only thing that Ponyboy Curtis felt as Curly Shepard pushed the burning end of his cigarette into the tip of his finger. He felt dizzy, his vision blurring as he saw the smoke rise from his skin. It made his breathing grow heavy and his heart quicken with adrenaline.

Ponyboy could barely see the same determination in Curly's face, through the thin layer of smoke. It took him a second to realize that he was causing Curly the same pain he was causing him.

It was an equal fight. Ponyboy gritted his teeth.

" _What the hell are you too doing?"_

A strong hand snatched the cigarettes from both boy's hands, throwing them onto the curb and crushing them under his foot.

"Holy _shit,_ wait till your brothers hear about this, Curtis…" Tim Shepard huffed.

Ignoring Tim swearing above him, Ponyboy started into Curly's cold eyes, and then at the hole he had burned into his fingertip.

Curly nodded in his direction. "You put up a good fight, Curtis."

Ponyboy nodded back. "You too, Shepard."

•••

"You did _what?"_

Darry was angry, to say the least. The second Tim Shepard dragged him through the door, he told Darry what he and Curly had done. The eldest Curtis's eyes had flashed with anger, making Tim leave flee the house, Curly in tow.

"Me and Curly pressed cigarettes against each other fingers," Ponyboy muttered, almost inaudibly.

Soda bustled around in the kitchen, pretending not to notice the ground-breaking argument playing out in the living room.

" _Ponyboy Michael Curtis!"_ Darry hollered, a vein popping out the side of his head "That is the most _immature, ridiculous,_ and not to mention _harmful_ thing I have ever heard! Why, Ponyboy, why?"

"Curly said that it would help with feelings… stuff like that."

The anger melted from Darry's face, leaving him expressionless.

"'Help with feelings?' What on earth do you mean, Ponyboy?"

"He- he said it would make them go away," Ponyboy stuttered, fighting back sobs.

By this time, Soda had abandoned whatever he was doing in the kitchen and had come to see what was going on.

"Feelings about _what_ Ponyboy?" Darry questioned.

"About mom and dad." The thirteen-year-old's voice was barely more than a whisper.

Both Soda and Darry stepped in, wrapping their youngest brother in a hug.

"You never try and hurt yourself again, you hear me Ponyboy?"

Ponyboy nodded.

 **See what I did there? I took something small and made it into something big :)**

 **I'm happy (and kind of sad) to say that I have the rest of the chapters of this story all planned out. I know exactly what's going to happen in what chapters form here to the end of the story, but I'm not telling you anything except that there's going to be sixteen chapters :D**

 **Please review if you're a member of the #protectponyboysquad2k16!**

 **:)**


	12. You knew those roads were icy

**Hey ho! Sorry for not updating yesterday… I had the worst writing block ew. But I grabbed some red Kool Aid, plopped my butt down, and managed to throw this together :)**

 **Hopefully it's not as bad as I think it is… I'm only posting this because I really need to update for my own self esteem lmao**

 **I do not own the Outsiders :)**

It was midnight. Before anyone could even get to them, Two-Bit had consumed all six beers before anyone could lay a hand on them. His eyes were wide and dilated, like a deer in front of headlights. He roamed around the house, picking up random objects, examining them, and putting them down again.

Deprived of alcoholic beverages, the gang popped open a few Pepsis and sat around on the sofa, watching Two-Bit with amusement. At one point, the drunk teenager slid the pillow out from behind Steve's back, sniffed it, and brought it down hard on Steve's head.

"Bastard!" Steve cried as Two-Bir sprinted away, laughing like a madman. "Why is it always Two-Bit?"

Darry shrugged, unsure of the answer himself. "I dunno, Steve. I guess he's got the lowest tolerance for alcohol."

"At least he's got _some_ tolerance, Darry. Remember a few months ago? When mom and dad were out?" Soda snorted.

Darry went red in the face, making the gang laugh.

"Would you like me to remind to gang of the number of times you got bashed, Soda?"

Now it was Soda's turned to blush. "No, sir," he said sarcastically.

Darry sighed and glanced into the kitchen at Ponyboy and Johnny. Just earlier that afternoon, Ponyboy had been pressing cigarettes up against Curly Shepard's finger, while Curly did the same thing to him. The brothers hadn't shared that with any of the gang, though. Some things were better kept within the family.

"Ponyboy went under the knife the other day," Sofa stated, as if he was hoping to break the awkward silence forming.

Steve snorted. "What'd he do?" He pondered. "Cry about it?"

"I'll have you know I did _not,"_ Ponyboy said, now entering the living room. "Will you look at this, huh? Look at how nasty that looks!"

He held up his stitched up hand in front of Steve's face.

"Whatever, whatever…" Steve said, trying his best not to look disgusted. "What'd you need an operation for, anyways?"

Ponyboy's face fell. He hadn't told any of the gang besides his brothers about the repetitive nightmares he had been having. He hadn't told them about the stress. About the constant pain.

"That's… None of your business." The youngest Curtis stated lamely.

Steve rolled his eyes. "Whatever you say, nerd."

•••

" _This is all your fault, Ponyboy!" Cried Martha Curtis, throwing a flaming torch at her youngest son._

 _Ponyboy fled out of the way, his eyes not being able to leave the melted form of his mother's face. Next to her stood his father, Darrel Curtis. Parts of his beard had been singed off, leaving red bald spots all over his chin._

" _Ponyboy…" It took a second to for Ponyboy to realize that his father wasn't yelling, but he was crying. Wet tears slipped down his burned, charred face. "How could you? How could you let us leave the house? You knew those roads were icy, Ponyboy."_

 _Ponyboy found his voice, though it sounded sticky and sick. "I- I'm sorry…" He stuttered._

" _You knew those roads were icy, Ponyboy…" His father's voice sounded almost ghostly, now._

 _Suddenly, a bang like a firecracker going off sounded. Right in front of Ponyboy's eyes, his father's skin melted gruesomely off his body, leaving only his bones._

Ponyboy awoke, screaming. He was vaguely aware of his brothers in the room, trying to bring him back to reality. Everything was vague except his mother's hollering voice and his father's melting skin.

"Ponyboy…" That was Sods. Ponyboy was sure of it. "Pone, please. It's just a dream, Pony. It's not real."

Eventually, Ponyboy's racking sobs became hyperventilation. His vision focused, and he saw both Soda and Darry's concerned faces in front of his.

"Are you okay, Ponyboy?" Soda asked. "Another nightmare?"

"Yeah…" Ponyboy breathed. "A nightmare. O- one about mom and dad."

"Again?" Darry questioned. "They must be pretty bad nightmares, huh?"

Ponyboy nodded, his breathing slowing down. "Yeah…" he muttered. "They're pretty awful."

"I can tell," Soda said with a dry chuckle. "What do yo say we all try and fall back asleep?"

"Okay," Darry said, stifling a yawn. "That sounds like a plan to me. What do you say, Ponyboy?"

"Yeah, okay." Ponyboy said lamely. "Goodnight, guys."

Darry smiled at his younger brother. "Goodnight, Ponyboy."

His brothers left, but Ponyboy didn't fall asleep.

 _You knew those roads were icy…_

•••

Ponyboy hadn't slept at all after his nightmare, but he got out of bed at five thirty the following morning. He made his way the the kitchen, figuring he still had time to cook breakfast before Darry and Soda got up.

He sat down at the kitchen table, putting his head in his hands. He had been up all night, haunted by his nightmare. His father's skin melting from his body… His mother mercilessly hurling a flaming torch at him.

What had happened? Just about a month ago, his life had been _good._ He'd had what many greasers didn't; kind, loving parents. Sure, he wasn't rich. He was on the poor side, actually. But at least he was _loved._

 _You still are loved,_ A voice inside his head told him. _You've got your brothers and the gang. You're being selfish. There are people like Johnny, who have no one, and you're sitting here crying just because you lost your parents? You've still got your brothers. They'll look out for you._

Suddenly, Ponyboy felt sick. Like an awful, selfish person. Both his brothers could've been killed off in that accident, too. Then he'd _really_ have no one. At least he had a guardian, a roof over his head, and three meals a day.

There were people out there who had it worse than Johnny, too. Johnny had the gang. He knew he was always welcome into the Curtis's home, whether is was to get a good meal or spend the night. Some people roamed the streets endlessly, never getting food or shelter. Some people were completely alone.

Ponyboy found himself smiling. He was pretty lucky.

 **Please review if you are grateful for what you have 3**

 **Anyways thanks for reading this chapter!**


	13. I'm thinking of dropping out

**Just gonna throw it out there that things get a bit… theatrical in this chapter XD Tell me if I overdid it lmao**

 **This is a Soda-centered chapter :)**

 **I do not own the Outsiders.**

Soda always knew was he wasn't too sharp in school. But all F's and one D on his report card did nothing but prove it. The moment his homeroom teacher handed him the dreaded slip of paper, his heart dropped. Darry would kill him!

He remembered seeing Darry coming home from work, sore and exhausted, with handfuls of unpaid bills. Why should his older brother be paying to send him off to college when he didn't even pass his high school classes? He would never make it anyway!

He was supposed to go to the movies with Ponyboy and Johnny after school that day, but his spirits just weren't high enough. Besides, he had business to take care of with Darry.

The walk home from school seemed long and miserable to Soda, when normally he was accompanied by his friends. But Steve was driving Two-Bit home in the pickup truck he had recently acquired. Dallas had dropped out of school years ago. Now it was his turn.

By the time he had walked the six blocks it took to get to his house, Soda was wishing he had accepted Steve's offer to drive him home. He never thought he could be that desperate.

Soda pushed open his front door, noticing it seemed heavier than ever. Maybe is was the dread of telling Darry that he was dropping out of highschool. His brother couldn't say no, though. He was sixteen, and he had the right to quit school if he wanted to. It was breaking the news that would kill him.

Since Darry had gotten off work early that day, he was home by the time Soda arrived back from school. He sat at the kitchen counter, signing papers and filling out bills. It just gave Soda more confidence that what he was doing was the right choice.

"Hey Dar," Soda said, nervously tapping his foot on the floor. "I got my report card today."

Darry sighed heavily, putting down his pen. "I thought you were going to the movies with Pony and Johnny. I'm pretty busy right now, if you you can't tell."

Nerves washed over Soda. "This is important, Darry." he insisted. "It's about… school and stuff."

"Fine," Darry said. "Make it quick, Soda."

Soda sighed. "You know I don't do too good in school, Dar. I just ain't as smart as Pony and you. My brain just doesn't process things like your's does."

Darry raised his eyebrow. "What are you trying to say, Soda?"

The middle Curtis let out a miserable sigh. "I got all F's on my report card, Darry. I'm thinking' of dropping outta school to help you pay those bills."

Darry's ice blue eyes flashed with anger. "Why the hell would you think about doing something like that, Soda?" he questioned. "That must be the most irrational thing I've ever heard someone say!"

"You know I do real shitty in school, Darry," Soda said, holding back tears. "I've seen you come home, carrying piles and piles of bills. It just ain't fair you should have to do it all on your own, while I sit around, getting bad grades and being a waste of space! I can't _take_ it Darry!"

"I don't need your help, Soda. You're sixteen years old, you should be attending high school! If you try hard enough, I know you can pull those grades up."

"No, I really can't Darry," Soda pleaded. "You just don't understand. I've been trying to up my grades this entire year, and will you look at where that's got me! I'm not cut out to be a real smarty pants, Darry. I was made to work. I already have that part time job at the DX, I can ask my boss if he'll bump me up to full time work."

Darry shook his head. "I've worked my ass off trying to let you have a good future, Soda. I won't let you just throw that all away! I know for a fact you have potential."

"Yeah, I've got potential," Soda retorted. "It just ain't in school and education. I've been gettin' real good at fixing up all those cars back at the DX, I could make a living as a mechanic. They make some good money, Dar."

"Sodapop Patrick Curtis, I am absolutely _not_ letting you flush your future away to become a- a mechanic! That's absolutely _crazy,_ and not to mention _selfish_ after what I've given up to allow you to go off to college! I gave up my future so you could have one, Soda, and I won't let you waste it."

"So that's what you think of mechanics, huh? Wastes? Who's gonna fix the car when Ponyboy takes it and runs it into a tree, huh? Who's gonna help that little old lady whose car ran out of gas in the middle of the highway? Not _you_ obviously!"

"Oh, now you're _really_ being irrational…" Darry hissed dangerously. "Your brother has enough common sense not to go reckless driving, unlike _you!_ Why can't you be more like him?"

Soda was wiped of all emotions. Had his brother really just suggested that he change who he was? Was he not alright as he was? Soda tried his best, and sometimes he wasn't perfect. But neither was Ponyboy or Darry. Being the middle child, Soda had always felt he got the least recognition. Whether it was Darry throwing the winning touchdown in a middle school football game or Ponyboy bringing home straight A's, Soda always felt left out. No matter how many times his parents told him that they loved him, he always seemed to get the least attention.

"If _that's_ how you feel," Soda said icily. "Then maybe I'll just choose to go to one of them foster homes. I bet _they'll_ treat me like I belong."

Soda stood up and left through the front door, just the way he had came. But this time, Darry stood in the kitchen horrified and speechless.

But that's how Soda liked it.

 **Ooooooohhhh**

 **The whole preach thing about being the middle child was one hundred percent first hand experience, peeps :) This year my older brother graduated from college and my little brother made his first communion (if you're not religious let's just say it's a big ceremony) And ouuuuuch that stung :(**

 **Don't hate me for the cliffy… I kind of had the idea while I was writing it… This might be a little longer than I anticipated because I want to add another chapter on the whole Soda-drops-out thing**

 **Please review!**


	14. I understand you

**I didn't get any reviews last chapter :( So while you're reading this, please take the time and review my last chapter, too! ;)**

 **This chapter kind of clears up all that 'drama' that went down in the last chapter. It's still mostly Soda centered, with a little bit of Darry towards the end.**

 **I bought The Cursed Child today and OH. MY. GOD. Someone needs to take that book away from me lmao**

 **I do not own the Outsiders.**

Soda wasn't sure how long he had been out for. All he knew was that he had spent over a dollar on Pepsi, and the sugar hadn't even begun to pulse through his veins. That had been _ten_ sodas, shouldn't he be bouncing off the walls.

Never in his life had he felt so alone. _Why can't you be more like him?_ The words echoed in Soda's head like a gunshot. More like Ponyboy? Is that what Darry wanted? His younger brother wasn't perfect, either. He had been out past curfew a few times. Hell, how many times did that kid need to be dragged to the hospital to get stitches or some other? Sure, he had a few qualities Soda didn't. But Soda had a few advantages over Ponyboy, too.

Two completely different people should never be compared. Ponyboy was smart and somewhat contained, while Sodapop was wildly living on the edge. While the boys were completely different, there were still best friends. Both personalities were respected.

Absentmindedly, Soda grabbed another Pepsi from the cooler in the back of the shop and placed it on the counter to by it. He started digging through his pockets for a dime when the cashier spoke;

"Isn't ten bottles of soda enough, kid?"

It was then Soda recognized the sudden urge to run a marathon. "My name is Soda," he said with a dry smile. "It's never enough."

The cashier smiled, scratching his head. "You must have some pretty creative parents, huh? I don't think I know a lot of adults that would give a kid a same like that."

"Neither do I," Soda said, a pang of sadness erupting inside him. "They died."

The humor that glazed the man's wrinkled face melted away. "Gee, I'm sorry kid." he said. "Who's looking after ya now?"

Anger erupted inside of him. "My older brother, Darry. I've got a younger brother too. His name is Ponyboy."

The man didn't even flinch at his brother's unusual name. "Your brother taking good care of you guys?"

It was then that Soda realized that Darry had meant well. Guilt flooded him. The oldest Curtis had a lot riding on his shoulders, lately. With bills and going to work every day. It was unfair of Soda to barge in and interrupt his work. The middle Curtis made the decision then that he _would_ drop out of school, on his own terms. Darry wanted him to be happy, but he just didn't realize that fixing cars was what made him content.

"Yeah," Soda replied, picking up the bottle of Pepsi. "I've got to go, sir. Thank you."

And he left the shop, making his way back home.

…

What had he done?

Darry had screwed up before, but it was never as bad as this. Had he really just forced Soda out of the house? If his younger brother told Social Services that he wanted to go into foster care, then they almost certainly take Ponyboy too. Darry just couldn't let them. His brothers were all he had to hold onto to keep from falling into spiraling depression.

 _Why can't you be more like him?_ Darry wished dearly he could take those words back. They should've never left his mouth. It was the most untrue thing he had ever said. He loved Soda for who _he_ was, and he loved Ponyboy for who _he_ was. Trying to force Soda to be more like Ponyboy would be like forcing Dally to act like Two-Bit. Darry almost burst out laughing at the thought.

Suddenly, Soda came bounding through the front door, interrupting Darry's train of thought. He held an almost-empty Pepsi bottle in his hand, which for a terrifying second Darr thought was a beer bottle.

"Darry, I'm sorry…" he said, talking a mile a minute. "I know you want what's best for me. I overreacted. I decided that I'm gonna drop out of school on my own terms, and start working at the DX full time. I might be able to become a professional mechanic, who knows? You want me to be happy, and I'm telling you, fixing up cars is what makes me happy. I really hope you understand, Darry. Because I thought about it and now I understand _you."_

Darry grinned. "I've been thinking too, Soda. You know, I'm real sorry. I shouldn't've said what I did. You're great the way _you_ are, Soda. And if you want to go and be a mechanic, than go ahead!"

Soda grinned. "So you won't be mad if I drop outta school?"

Darry shrugged. "I would've pulled through school, but you're a completely different person than I am. If being a mechanic makes you happy, than go right ahead. We could always use someone for when Ponyboy rams the tuck into a tree."

"You know he won't do that," Soda smiled.

"I'm having second thoughts, now that I think into it," Darry laughed.

Soda laughed, engulfing his older brother in a hug. He had never felt happier to have someone understand his strange way of reasoning.

Suddenly, the front door swung open. Ponyboy entered the house, dropping his bag on the floor.

"Darry, I-" he paused at the scene of his two brothers hugging each other. "Is everything okay?"

Soda smiled. "Yeah, everythings great, Ponyboy. What's up?"

"I got my report card today," Ponyboy said. "I got all A's, but there's a note on the back from my principal saying she wants to meet with Darry on Saturday morning."

 **So yeah! Please review this chapter and my last! I love seeing you guy's reviews, it makes me smile to see that people actually care about my story. :) It takes about five seconds, guys, and it helps a bunch! So please tell me your honest thoughts :)**

 **Can we aim for five reviews by tomorrow morning :O**

 **Have a good night or day! (Wherever you are!)**


	15. Wise for his age

**This chapter starts off great… then slowly gets worse…**

 **So basically I've decided I'm going to publish a chapter around this time every day. (8:00pm EST) For two reasons. One, it gives me time to write during the day, and two, I feel like when I update at this time it's the most successful with reviews :)**

 **I do not own the Outsiders.**

What had Ponyboy done now? He had always been an exceptional student when it came to was always among the first to finish his assignments, and he always got good grades. Darry couldn't imagine what he could have done wrong.

"Good morning, Darrel," Mr. Candelle said when Darry entered his office. "I assume you got my note to Ponyboy?"

"Yes sir," Darry said, taking a seat in the plastic chair in front of the principal's desk. "You said you wanted to meet with me this morning."

Mr. Candelle smiled. "Don't look so worried, Darrel. Nothing is wrong. I called you here simply to discuss Ponyboy's exceptionally high grades."

"Oh," Darry said, washed over with relief. "That's good news, sir."

"Yes, it is," Mr. Candelle said with a laugh. "Now, after the family problems you and your brothers have obviously been facing, I expected both Ponyboy's and Sodapop's grades to drop at least the slightest. But, when looking over Ponyboy's work, I saw that the grades did not drop, but go _up._ For a thirteen year old boy, your brother is very smart."

"I know that, sir," Darry said with a proud smile.

"And not just book smart," the principal continued. "But street smart, too. He knows how to deal with people. He knows about feelings. He can tell when someone is upset, and he knows how to comfort them."

"He does that at home, too." Darry explained. "When our parents first died, we needed a lot of comforting. Pony knew how to give us just the right amount of space."

"What I'm trying to say here, Darrel," Mr. Candelle said with a sly smile. "Is that seventh grade work just doesn't seem to challenge your brother like it should. Ponyboy has a very wise mind trapped inside a thirteen year old's body. What I'm saying, is that I and Ponyboy's teachers think it would have a positive impact if he skipped the eighth grade next year."

Darry was shocked. His little brother in high school? He wasn't even fourteen!

"Are you sure he's ready?" Darry asked. "He's still a little kid."

"We're positive," Mr. Candelle smiled. "Your brother has shown some extreme maturity throughout this whole situation. The work set for children his age doesn't seem to challenge him like it should. He barely has to give any effort to get problems correct, and I say that in the best way possible."

"I see your point of view, sir," Darr said. "But I don't know if Ponyboy would be… er… _ready_ for such a jump. He's been acting kind of weird lately… I think what happened to our parents is finally taking it's toll on him."

"Oh, take your time with him." Mr. Candelle said, waving Darry away. "I understand completely. We won't be bumping him up until next year, anyway. You have _months_ to decide."

"Thank you, sir." Darry said, standing up to leave. "I'll be sure to talk to him when I get home."

"It's really no problem, Darrel. Come back again tomorrow, and bring Ponyboy with you. I'd like to talk to him. How does eleven o'clock, sound?"

"It sounds great," Darry said.

•••

Ponyboy had taken the news that he might be bumping a grade surprisingly well. Darry had expected him to protest, but he had left it off with a simple, "Okay. I just want to talk to Mr. Candelle."

So eleven o'clock Sunday morning, Darry drove back to Mr. Candelles office. This time, he had Ponyboy with him. In the car, his younger brother wouldn't stop going on about how unfair Darry had been about not allowing another food fight break loose in their kitchen. He had some pretty good reasoning, too.

"We're here, Ponyboy," Darry said with a sigh. Both he and his brother got out of the car and made their way into the school.

Mr. Candelle was already waiting for them at his desk. His hands were folded in front of him and he had a smile on his face. "Good morning Mr. Curtis," he said, nodding in Ponyboy's direction.

"Good morning, Mr. Candelle," Ponyboy said timidly, sitting down. Darry leaned on the back of the chair his younger brother was in.

"I assume your brother told you about what me and him discussed yesterday, yes?"

"Yes sir," Ponyboy said. "He said you wanted me bumped up to highschool next year."

"Very well, Ponyboy. But what I want to know is, would _you_ feel comfortable skipping the eighth grade? You're a very bright young boy, I think you realize that. The work we have set for seventh graders just doesn't seem to be doing it's job for you. I think moving up to ninth grade would be more your level."

"Oh," Ponyboy muttered, examining his toes. "Alright. As long as Darry's okay with it, I guess I am too."

"This is your choice, Ponyboy," Darry chuckled. "Not mine."

Ponyboy went pale. "Oh, okay. Sure. It's fine."

"Are you positive, Ponyboy?"

"Yeah," Ponyboy said, pulling a smile. "I'm fine with it. Can we go home, Darry?"

Unsure about why his brother was acting so strange, Darry said, "Okay, Ponyboy."

Ponyboy stood up, and followed Darry out to the car. The entire time, he stared at the ground, unsure of what to say.

"Are you sure you want to bump a grade, Ponyboy? You seemed a little nervous in there."

Ponyboy sighed. "It's not that, Darry. It's just-" he cut himself off. "I'll tell you later. But for right now, just think about how proud you are of me." He put on a true lopsided grin, and got into the car.

Darry sighed. Ponyboy sure did have a way with words.

 **I told you…**

 **I had an initial plan for the ending, and I still do, but I'm kind of bending it… Expect there to be a total of seventeen to eighteen chapters :)**

 **Please take five seconds to review! It means the whole world when you do!**


	16. Just a dream

**I didn't want to update tonight, but I had to for you guys because you're all so amazing! ;) I love waking up to reviews, the first thing I do every morning is check xD**

 **Anyways, I think I like this chapter. It's bittersweet and I had fun writing it :)**

 **I do not own the Outsiders.**

That night, Ponyboy lie awake. His mind was overwashed with thoughts, like hundreds of bees buzzing around a busy hive. No matter how many times he rolled over, trying with all his might to escape them, they just kept coming back.

The thoughts were of his parents. The dreams, were they true? Wherever his parents were, did they blame him for what happened? Ponyboy could only configure two possible ways to find out. One was that he himself would have to die and try to find his mother and father, which was out of the question from obvious reasons. The other was finding out through yet another dream. It seemed practical, but Ponyboy hated the thought of falling into his mysterious world of terrifying dreams.

All day, he had pondered the matter. It was as though he were only half conscious for the past twenty four hours. One part of him was in reality, the other part of him thinking deeply into his horrific nightmares.

Despite fighting it away, Ponyboy eventually fell asleep. The second he did, a dream found him immediately.

 _Martha Curtis stands, arms linked with her husband, Darrel Curtis. Instead of being the burnt wreck they were nights before, they looked exactly how they had before they left for dinner on Christmas Eve. Martha wore a beautiful white dress, angel wings poking out from behind her. He blonde hair flowed, as though it were floating underwater. A halo hovered above her head._

 _Darrel wore a handsome white suit. Around his neck was a red necktie, adding a splash of color to his look. His brown hair was slicked back, his beard neatly trimmed. Wings could be seen behind him, too. And like his wife, a halo flew about his head._

 _The couple smiled. Ponyboy saw that it was a true, happy smile. Not the devilish, horrifying one he had seen before._

" _You- you guys are angels…" Ponyboy stuttered. "You're… happy."_

 _Martha smiled, tears shimmering in her eyes. "We're so, so, sorry…" she spoke, her voice trembling. "We meant nothing about what we said a few nights before. We love you, Ponyboy. We always will._

" _But our time with you here is limited, son." Darrel spoke, also putting on a tearful smile. "Soon you'll have to return to the real world, with your brothers. And we'll have to return to where we came from."_

" _Where- where did you come from?" Ponyboy asked timidly._

 _Martha and Darrel exchanged sad grins. "We can't tell you that, Pony." Martha said. "But it's nice there. It's much better than suffering."_

" _Nobody suffers there," Darrel continued._

 _Not being able to hold back, Ponyboy approached his parents nervously. The closer he got, the more he saw. Small, dainty ruffles adorned the edges of his mother's dress. His father's bow tie had small polka dots that were a darker red. But what was the most noticeable was that his parents were opaque. Just through them, Ponyboy could see a scene of everlasting clouds._

" _You guys really_ are _angels," he marveled._

 _Darrel chuckled. "That we are, Ponyboy. We don't have much time left. All three of us will have to return soon. Before we go, Ponyboy, you may ask us one question. Anything you want."_

 _Ponyboy hesitated. There was so much he wanted to know, it was impossible to put all of it into one question. Instead, he asked the one thing that was eating away at him._

" _Is this just a dream, or are you guys really talking to me?"_

 _Martha smiled. "That's for you to figure out, Ponyboy. I believe you are capable."_

" _Take good care of your brothers," Darrel said._

" _Wait!" Ponyboy cried, as his parents started to fade away. "Please stay! Please…"_

 _But his parents were gone._

 _Suddenly, he saw a road. He had a bird's-eye-view of a highway, perched right above the train tracks._

 _As if in slow motion, a train ran over a passing car. Crunching metal. Cries. Screams. Hollers for help._

 _And then the voices went silent._

 _The passengers were dead._

 _Ponyboy tried to scream. He tried to cry. But no words came out. It was torture. Two precious, young life had just been loss, and there was nothing he could do about it. He couldn't even cry._

Ponyboy awoke to find Soda at his side. He was drenched in cold sweat, hyperventilating. Part of him was relieved, and the other part was still stuck in his crazy world of nightmares.

"It's okay, Pone…" Soda said gently, stroking back Ponyboy's hair as he sat up. "It's just a dream."

 _It's just a dream._ Was it? Was it really just a dream? When he had asked his parents, they had told him it was for him to figure out.

"No it's not." Ponyboy said breathlessly. "It's not just a dream."

"What do you mean, Ponyboy?" Darry asked, making Pony jump. He hadn't realized his oldest brother was there.

"They- they talked to me in the dream." Ponyboy said, realizing how crazy he probably sounded. "Mom and dad. They said they were sorry for the nightmares… and then I saw the car crash."

Soda wrapped his arms around his younger brother. "You sure you haven't gone crazy, Ponyboy?"

Ponyboy struggled out of his brother's arms. "I'm positive." he said, looked from Darry to Soda. "Do you believe me?"

"Sure we do, Pone." Soda said. "But why don't you move into my room for a little while, just to make sure these nightmares don't come back."

"I'm not a baby," Ponyboy said, though he liked the sound of the idea himself.

"It won't be forever," Soda reassured him. "Just until we can get all of this sorted out. I think it might help you, Ponyboy."

Ponyboy looked into his brother's loving eyes. The brother who had dropped out of school to help support his family. Soda too, had given up his future for Ponyboy.

"Alright," Ponyboy said, caving. "As long as you've got extra space for books."

Soda laughed. "I think we can manage to keep those do-dads in here, Pony. What do you think, Darry?"

Darry had been watching his two brothers bond with a smile on his face. "I think it's a great idea," he grinned.

"It's settled then," Soda said, slapping his knee. "Tomorrow morning, Ponyboy moves into my room."

 **Awww if only my brothers would bond with me like this :3**

 **Please take a few seconds out of your busy day to review! It check it the second I wake up and it makes me SOOOOOOOOOOOO happy to hear what you have to say :D**

 **Thanks!**


	17. Back to normal

**It's that time, guys! (update time :P)**

 **This is the second to last chapter in this story :( But don't be sad… :) I have another whole plot bunny forming! The first chapter should be up sometime this week :) (warning: its totally unrealistic but fun to write haha)**

 **So enjoy this chapter! Things start cooling down… This is a happy fun chapter.**

 **Oh, and incase you couldn't tell… The thing that was making Ponyboy act weird in Chapter 15 was his nightmares :) But that got solved in the previous chapter!**

 **I do not own the Outsiders.**

Darry surveyed the cheerful scene around him. Two-Bit was surprisingly not drunk as he mindlessly roamed the kitchen, juggling an orange, an apple, and a lemon. Out of the cooler, Dally, sat on the counter next to Johnny, both of them with a Pepsi in hand. Darry couldn't see what they were discussing, but they were obviously into it. Steve stood towering over Ponyboy, taunting him on how short he was as Ponyboy groaned. Soda watched from a distance, concern and amusement on his face as his best friend and his brother bickered with each other over height.

Darry smiled to himself. It had taken a lot of healing, but life at the Curtis house was finally starting to turn back to normal. Sure there had been pain and tears, but nothing a big brother couldn't handle. It took a lot, including giving up his college and any chance at a decent career, but Darr wouldn't trade this for anything. Not even college.

"Hey," Soda's voice broke through all others as he placed his Pepsi bottle down on the counter with a _clang._ "What do you say we all go out to town and have a little fun?"

Soda looked Darry in the eye, as if waiting for his approval. Darry hesitated. When Soda said that he wanted to have _fun,_ Darry automatically matched it up to _illegal._ He had learned that from living in a town full of greasers, and being one himself. Breaking the law counted as fun.

"Nothing illegal," Darry said. "If the fuzz finds out you're going out breaking laws, they'll have you in a boy's home before you can even blink. We can all go out, but no drinking, and no _stealing._ You hear that, Two-Bit?"

Two-Bit dropped the lemon he had been juggling. "What? Oh yeah, no stealing."

Darry rolled his eyes, knowing he would regret this later. "Alright. Let's go have fun."

•••

The gang walked along the sidewalk. Up front, Soda and Ponyboy were having an extremely animated conversation about some ridiculous topic or another. The talk included immense hand gestures, strange sound effects, and lots of strange crippled ways of walking. Behind them was Steve, who looked left out and generally annoyed that his best friend would rather make strange noises with his thirteen-year-old brother than hang out with him. Beside Steve were Dally and Johnny, Dally walking protectively in front of his younger friend. Two-Bit walked next to Darry in back of them all, waving his hands around and trying to get Darry hooked on a conversation he was having trouble following.

"And then my sister _ate it,"_ he marveled, his eyes growing wide.

"Ate what?" Darry asked, confused. "The squirrel or the tennis ball?"

Two-Bit raised his eyebrow. "What tennis ball? What squirrel? I don't think I mentioned either of them."

Darry rolled his eyes. "Whatever Two-Bit. Why don't we-"

The oldest Curtis was cut off by Two-Bit's happy squeal. "Sweet! Will you look at that, Darry, won't you? It's a shitting _hat shop!"_

"A hat shop," Darry said blandly, stopping along with the rest of the gang. "What's so special about a hat shop?"

Completely ignoring Darry's question, Two-Bit opened up the door. "It's a hat shop, Darry!" he marveled. "I _love_ this things! We have to go inside!"

Before Darry could protest, the entire gang ha paraded inside the hat shop. Having no other choice, Darry sighed and followed them inside.

In the shop, there was almost nothing but hats. Throughout the store, coat racks with multiple hangers were placed, like pine trees in an evergreen forest. But instead of leaves on the branches, there were hats. And the store didn't just limit itself to formal hats and bonnets, there were all _sorts_ of them. The strangest one Darry had seen so far looked like a rubber chicken you put on your head, and he had been in the store for less than ten seconds.

Immediately, Darry set out to find the gang. It wasn't hard. There weren't many customers in the store, and Darry's friends and brother's always seemed to stand out wherever they went.

He spotted them in a second, in the corner of the shop. Sodapop had forced a baseball cap onto Ponyboy's head, as the thirteen-year-old stood on his tip-toes trying to get a foam hat with dog ears onto his older brother's head. Two-Bit had surprised Dallas by placing a bright red Santa hat on his head, making the greaser turn around and pop him in the nose. Two-Bit himself had been wearing the chicken hat Darry had saw earlier, but it had fallen off as he stumbled backwards from being punch. Johnny and Steve stood to the side, observing it all with traces of amusement on their face.

"Guys!" Darry hollered, a little too loudly for the liking of the store clerk, as he earned himself a glare. Darry rushed over to the gang, quieter this time. "What the hell do y'all think you're doing?"

"Two-Bit's being a shithead, as usual," Dallas sneered, ripping the Christmas hat off his head and throwing it to the ground.

"Oh well _I'm_ sorry, but did _you_ get punched?" Two-Bit retorted, sounding like he had a cold as he pinched his now-bleeding nose.

Dallas rolled his eyes, and he and Two-Bit continued to argue. Darry turned his attention to his two brothers, who were comically bickering over some foolish thing or another.

"What is it with you guys?" Darry hissed. "What on earth are you fighting about?"

"Pony doesn't like the hat I chose him!" Soda claimed, almost whining as he pointed to his younger brother.

"I never said that," Ponyboy grumbled, taking off the baseball cap and placing it back on the rack. "I just wanted to put a hat on _your_ head too."

"Well I didn't want you to, Ponyboy!" Soda cried, sounding more like a five year old than a sixteen year old. Ponyboy rolled his eyes, folded his arms, and grumbled nonsense.

"Ahem," behind Darry's back, someone cleared their throat. Startled, Darry turned around to face the store clerk.

"O- Oh hello sir," Darry said timidly. "I- I was just telling these boys that-"

"Hats off," the clerk said. "And get _out._ All of you."

Grumbling, the gang took off whatever hats they were wearing and littered them on the floor. They filed out, ignored the horrified glare they were getting from the store clerk.

"I guess you're pretty mad at us, huh, Dar?" Ponyboy said once they were outside.

A trace of a smile found it's way to Darry's lips. "You know what, Pony? I should be furious. I really should."

"But… you're not?"

Darry slung an arm around his younger brother shoulder. "I've never been happier, Ponyboy."

Maybe things could go back to normal after all.

 **So remember to review! I can't wait to wake up tomorrow and see what all you good people have to say :)**

 **Can't wait to end this! I have big plans! I also can't wait for the new story… :o**

 **So review!**


	18. You can cry now

**Last chapter! :)( I just want to thank you guys for being so supportive of this story, I'll still be watching it's Traffic Graphs because I'm interested to see if it will grow after I've completed it. Tell your friends if you liked it!**

 **Also, sorry this chapter is so short. I wanted to keep it nice, clean, and sweet. :)**

 _{Christmas Day, One Year Later}_

Even when their parents were alive, Christmas was always held at the Curtis's house. This year, everything seemed different. Sure, Two-Bit still got drunk and told highly inappropriate 'Christmas Jokes'. Maybe Soda still tried to cook, making everybody eat the monstrosity he had come up with. And, okay, Ponyboy still made everyone wear Santa hats.

But there was no Dallas Winston to one-up Two-Bit's awful jokes. There was no Johnny to be the only one wearing a Santa hat during Christmas dinner, as he silently accepted Soda's spoiled food.

But Two-Bit still cracked his jokes, and Soda still dyed the mashed potatoes purple. Ponyboy even convinced Darry to wear a Santa hat.

What was remaining of the gang sat around the Curtis's kitchen table, having to pull up mix-matching chairs to fit the amount of guests they had. It was cramped, not as cramped as it had been in years before when they were accompanied by Dally, Johnny, and Mr. and Mrs. Curtis.

Soda went around placing soupy mashed potatoes and chicken wings that were almost burnt to a crisp on everyone's plate. As he did so, he hummed "O-Christmas-Tree" under his breath, sometimes stopping to do a twirl or a dramatic hip bounce.

"Jeez, Soda, you're worse at dancing than me," Two-Bit said with a snicker, making Soda stop mid-hum.

"Is this a challenge to a dance battle, or something?" Soda questioned, dumping the rest of the mashed potatoes onto Steve's plate half-heartedly, making his best friend grimace.

Two-Bit stood up, his chair screeching on the tile floor. "You're on, Curtis."

"Good luck, Matthews."

Darry didn't like to describe what happened next. Around thirty seconds into the so called 'dance battle', the glass lamp had been shattered on the floor. Both Soda and Two-Bit's 'dance moves' had been so terrible Darry hadn't even been able to see clearly who had done it.

"Well shit." Soda muttered, staring at the mess he had made. He looked up, face red as a beet. "Ponyboy did it!" he claimed, pointing at his younger brother accusingly.

Ponyboy spun around. " _What?_ How on earth, Soda? I haven't left this spot for the last twenty minutes!"

"You did it earlier," Soda said, his voice dead serious. "I saw you. You tripped over the carpet and you knocked it over, klutzy. It just didn't break all the way! You put it back on the table so that the next sucker who walked by would take the blame for you!"

Now it was Ponyboy's turn to blush. Hde stood up to admire the crashed lamp. "Alright, so maybe I tripped this morning… And yeah, maybe I took the lamp down with me. But it did _not_ crack."

Soda rolled his eyes, and opened his mouth to retort. Before he could, however, Darry cut in.

"You're both acting like idiots," he said. "Who said I was blaming _anyone_ for the lamp? Accidents happen."

The truth was, Darry _had_ been angry. That had been one of his mother's favorite lamps. But seeing the two brothers who he had raised for almost a year argue with each other broke his heart. He wouldn't let something like this happen on Christmas day.

Both Ponyboy and Soda gave Darry skeptical glances.

"You're not mad?" Soda asked. "So if I stay out late and go to a movie tomorrow night you'll just let it slide?"

Despite himself, Darry gave a small smirk. "Absolutely not, Soda. Now sit down and serve us some of that chicken you made."

•••

That night night the three Curtis brothers sat together on the couch. Dying cigarette embers burned in the fireplace from the many dollar's worth the gang had smoked that night. Barely a sound could be heard throughout the room. Once in awhile, rubber tires could be heard crunching over the icy roads, followed by the headlights filling the living room like a jail-house search light.

"This was our first Christmas without Mom and Dad," Soda declared, his voice breaking. "It's almost been eleven months…"

Darry put a protective arm around his brother, feeling like he had been in this situation before. Then he realized; he had. Around a month ago he had sat on this very couch comforting the very same people the night his parents had died.

That night, he had forced himself not to cry. He had to be strong for his brothers.

But it had been almost a year. He could cry now, couldn't he?

"I know what you're thinking, Dar," Ponyboy's small, sad suddenly split the silence. "It's okay. You can cry now."

"I know," Darry said, voice breaking on a sob. He hugged his younger brother into his side, tears flowing in waterfalls down his face. "I know, Ponyboy."

Pretty soon, it had turned into one sobbing hug between the brothers. They didn't just cry about what they lost, however. They cried happy tears about what they still had. _Each other._ So maybe the healing process wasn't quite complete. Maybe it would never be.

But they had each other.

 **Awwww :))) So remember, if you liked it please give me an overall review of what you thought of this story as a whole. It would be the world to me :D**

 **I just want to thank you guys so much. I never thought I would get this far! All the reviews and constructive criticism, it really helped me out. :P**

 **I can't wait to see how people will react to my next story. I don't know if it will be up for a few days, I'm going on a vacation. I really wanted to finish this before I left!**

 **So just again, thank you all. It would mean so much to me if you reviewed what you thought of this story as a whole!**

 **Thanks for all your love a support!**


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